Lawmaker, nominee debate proposed 74% cut to EERE amid warnings about aging grid

A committee member pressed an Energy Department nominee during a confirmation hearing about the Trump administration's proposal to cut funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 74%, saying the reduction would conflict with efforts to modernize the nation's aging electric grid. "This is not the time to stop funding grid innovation," the committee member said, citing an EERE demonstration project in California intended to support new load growth through grid innovations and to help energy providers "right size" grid investments for future demand. The nominee responded that implementing the administration's budget would require austerity across the federal government and doing "more with less," but said the administration's broader energy agenda still includes grid enhancements. "We have a very fragile grid," the nominee said, adding that grid issues are addressed across the Department of Energy, including at the national laboratories, the Office of Electricity and the Grid Deployment Office. The committee member argued that addressing "deferred maintenance," modernizing infrastructure, adding capacity and improving efficiency all require investments rather than cuts. The exchange identified several points of federal responsibility and existing programs but did not result in any formal action during the hearing. The nominee said that, if confirmed, they would pursue cross-collaboration across DOE offices and national labs to address grid challenges. No vote or formal decision on funding was made at the hearing.