Two nominees under committee consideration for Department of Energy leadership

The Department of Energy (DOE) could move one step closer to having its leadership staffed, now that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is considering two candidates for roles within the department.

The committee, chaired by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), is considering nominees Bruce Walker and Steven Winberg for Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, and Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, respectively. Walker is the founder of a utility infrastructure risk revaluation company, while Winberg has been Senior Program Manager with the Battelle Memorial Institute and vice president of R&D for CONSOL Energy, Inc.

“The Department of Energy has helped make our nation a global technology leader by supporting basic research, encouraging scientific exploration, and fostering innovation. It is also meant to be our chief advocate for energy supply, which affects everything from our national security to market stability and prices,” Murkowski said. “These two leadership positions under consideration today are critical to helping us increase access to energy, make it more affordable, and continue to improve its environmental performance.”

During the committee meeting, Murkowski also took the opportunity to continue pushing for a lowering of energy costs in rural communities, and to diversify existing resources.

“We must work together to help bring more of our resources to market, including renewables such as hydropower, wind, and biomass,” Murkowski said. “That also includes our stranded natural gas, and resources with significant potential like methane hydrates. We must find ways to diversify our energy resources and reduce energy costs.”

If the pair are confirmed, they would make the fourth and fifth DOE nominees approved by committee, though the first three are still awaiting confirmation by the full Senate.