This section answers the most frequently asked questions about the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey. Other sections answer additional questions about survey coverage and forms. If you don't find answers to all your survey questions, please contact staff.

• About the Survey
• Industry Classification
• Completing the Survey
• Natural Gas Utility/Non-utility

The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey is designed and sponsored by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the Department of Energy and is conducted by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce.

The Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey collects data on energy consumption and usage patterns for the manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy. The information will be used to publish aggregate statistics on the following: consumption of energy for fuel and nonfuel uses, energy characteristics of establishments in the manufacturing sector, energy consumption by end use, technologies currently in use by U.S. manufacturers, energy prices, electricity generation onsite, fuel switching capability, and participation in energy-management activities. This survey is the only survey providing detailed statistics on patterns of energy used in the manufacturing sector; the information collected will be used by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to implement policy plans effectively. See Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey web site at

Yes. Response to the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey is required by law under the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974, 15 U.S.C. 772(b) and under Title 3, Subtitle B, of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. 7135, as amended by Title 1, Subtitle G, of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, 42 U.S.C. 7135(i)(1). Failure to respond may result in a civil penalty of not more than $2,750 per day for each violation, or a fine of not more than $5,000 per day for each willful violation as provided by 15 U.S.C. 797. The Government may bring a civil action to prohibit reporting violations which may result in a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction without bond. In such civil action, the court may also issue mandatory injunctions commanding any person to comply with these reporting requirements.

Yes, the U.S. Census Bureau is required by Title 13 United States Code, Section 9, to keep your information confidential and can use your responses only to produce statistics. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify your business, organization, or institution. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data.

Centurion is the U.S. Census Bureau's Internet Data Collection System (IDC) that allows respondents to complete their survey electronically through the Internet. This system has been designed to provide respondents of the Census Bureau's many surveys and censuses a secure means to respond over the Internet. The system also contains additional information and special functionality to aid respondents in completing their forms such as special instructions, content specific help, file transfer capabilities, and contact information.

Downloadable Portable Document Formats (PDF's) are read-only, imaged files of the survey form. These files can be viewed and printed from the internet using a PDF reader such as Adobe Reader. However, this method requires respondents to complete the survey form by hand, and mail it back to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Standard mailing is for those establishments that do not have internet access. The survey form will be mailed to the establishment, completed by hand, and mailed back to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Since 1997, federal statistical agencies have used the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as the standard in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. Use of the standard provides uniformity and comparability in the presentation of these statistical data. NAICS is unique in that its conceptual framework is based on a production-oriented concept, meaning that it groups establishments into industries according to similarity in the processes used to produce goods or services.based on production processes.

• The reporting unit for the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey is the manufacturing establishment. A manufacturing establishment is an economic unit at a single physical location, for the mechanical or chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products.
• An establishment is not necessarily identical to a business concern or firm, either of which may consist of one or more establishments. A company may consist of one or more establishments that are engaged in separate or distinct activities. These establishments may be situated at one location and separated physically as well as economically.
• Manufacturing operations are generally conducted in facilities described as plants, factories, or mills, characteristically using power-driven machines and materials-handling equipment. Manufacturing also includes such activities as the assembly of components of manufactured products and the blending of materials such as lubricating oil, plastics, resins or liquors.
• If this establishment has previously completed the Economic Census – Manufacturing, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, then the reporting boundaries for the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey should correspond to those used for the Census. Each reporting unit should be treated as a separate establishment ONLY if that was the determination made for the Census. Do not consolidate Census establishments for reporting on the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey.
  
• If you feel that your organization does not meet the guidelines listed above please contact our processing office at: 1-800-528-3049.
  

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is approximately nine hours per reporting unit, including the time of reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Energy Information Administration, Statistics and Methods Group, EI-70, Washington, D.C. 20585-0670; and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.

The period covered by this survey for most establishments is calendar year 2022 (January 1 through December 31, 2022). The exception will be for those establishments whose ownership or operations changed during 2022. Indicate the reporting period covered in Establishment Information Section in the on-line reporting system.

Within the Respondent Portal, time extension requests can be made directly by selecting “Request Extension” from the “Options” menu.

You can click on the Forms and Instructions from the home page of the Business Help Site and there you will find a link to the Conversion Factor Table.

A local utility is a public, regulated utility in your local area that produces and/or delivers natural gas and is legally obligated to provide service to the general public within its franchise area.

A non-utility includes independent producers, brokers, marketers, and any marketing subsidiaries of utilities. They are not legally obligated to provide service to the general public.

If your establishment purchased natural gas from both utility and non-utility providers, make sure to select "both" in question 24 of MECS. Then in question 25, specify only your establishment's largest provider.

If your establishment purchased natural gas from more than one provider, only specify your establishment's largest provider from whom you purchased natural gas in question 25 of MECS.