President-elect Donald Trump has named energy industry executive Chris Wright as his choice to lead the Department of Energy, pending Senate confirmation.
“Chris has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy. He has worked in Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas. Most significantly, Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fueled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics,” the statement said.
Wright is the founder, CEO, and chairman of the board of Liberty Energy.
Trump described Wright as a technologist and entrepreneur with experience with fossil fuel extraction, including hydraulic fracturing. Wright also has experience with solar and nuclear energy.
“Chris embraces all energy sources if they are abundant, affordable, and reliable,” Trump said.
The Department of Energy’s mission is “to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.”
The agency includes everything from the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management to the Office of Nuclear Energy, along with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The United States’ national laboratories, including Oak Ridge and Los Alamos, fall under the department’s purview.
The current energy secretary is Jennifer Granholm. During Trump’s first term, Rick Perry and, subsequently, Dan Brouillette served in the role.
Along with the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency, actions by this agency will be central to whether Trump fulfills his pledge to slash energy costs.
Wright also argued that the benefits of transitioning away from fossil fuels must be weighed against the increased costs of energy associated with the transition, especially for the working class or poor.
Wright has described himself as a “big fan of nuclear power.”
