Office of Energy details expanded biennial budget as director cites surge in federal awards

Dwayne McClinton, director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy, and Deputy Director Matthew Brown presented the agency’s budget to the joint Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees and described a steep increase in operating and programmatic dollars driven largely by federal grants and recent grant approvals.

McClinton and Brown told the committee GOE’s budget accounts for FY26–FY27 increased materially compared with prior biennia after the agency pursued federal funding. Brown summarized the agency mission: “Our vision is to provide all Nevadans affordable, reliable, sustainable, and clean energy choices through a holistic, realistic approach,” and said GOE manages programs across energy efficiency, energy assurance, renewable energy and workforce development. Brown said the agency currently has 19 full‑time equivalents with six vacancies and that program dollars now account for the majority of the agency’s expenditures.

Committee members questioned the sustainability of a budget that relies heavily on federal grants. Senator Patricia Cannizzaro asked what assurances GOE had about the continuity of federal funds and what would happen if anticipated tranches were cut. Brown responded that OS OGE has had conversations with the U.S. Department of Energy, that active grants are currently drawable and not being clawed back, and that the agency had developed contingency scenarios when federal guidance changed earlier in the year. He said some program elements could continue using the agency’s renewable energy account in the short term, but that the renewable account did not contain sums sufficient to cover an entire multi‑million dollar shortfall.

McClinton described grants and programs won in recent years: a State Energy Program award under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, ARPA allocations for state‑owned building energy audits, an increase to the agency’s existing rebate programs, a home electrification/appliance rebate program (HEAR), an energy efficiency revolving loan fund (EERLF), and new funding for codes adoption assistance to support local communities. He also listed a set of internal enhancement requests for the upcoming biennium for staff training, additional lease and conference space, travel and equipment replacement.

Lawmakers asked how GOE would prioritize spending if federal awards were reduced and whether the Legislature would need to cut programs. Brown said the agency had prepared multiple scenarios (A, B, C, D) and that staff had been directed to identify program elements that could continue on state renewable energy account dollars if federal funding were reduced. “We identified some areas of those programs if we were to lose funding that we'd still like to go forward using the renewable energy account,” Brown said, adding “I can't say if something were to happen outside of what we've been told that money would get cut. We couldn't fulfill all of it.”

The committee asked no additional budget actions; GOE staff said they would remain available for follow‑up and to answer questions after the presentation.

Ending: The Office of Energy’s presentation showed a substantial transition from a small operating base to a program‑heavy budget driven by federal grants. Agency officials said they have contingency plans and continue to pursue alternative funding but acknowledged the state does not have reserves equal to a full federal shortfall.