AK Steel said that revised energy efficiency standards proposed by the US Department of Energy on February 1st 2012 are not expected to significantly impact the overall competitiveness of the company's grain oriented electrical steels used in the manufacture of electrical distribution transformers.

In fact, AK Steel said that with respect to some types of distribution transformers the new standards have the potential for increasing the market for grain oriented electrical steels.

AK Steel previously noted in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that a potential risk factor for its GOES business was that the DOE might change efficiency standards in such a way that could substantially reduce the competiveness of electrical steel in such applications.

Mr James L Wainscott, chairman, president & CEO of AK Steel said that "We are pleased with the Department of Energy's proposed efficiency standards. We continue to believe that AK Steel is well positioned to meet the needs of our power generation and distribution customers for years to come."

The revised efficiency standards as proposed by DOE would become effective in 2016. In the interim, AK Steel said that it will engage in research and development efforts to minimize any impact that the new standards might have on the available market for its GOES products.