United States Secretary of Energy

United States Secretary of Energy
Seal of the Department
Flag of the Secretary
Incumbent Jennifer Granholm since February 25, 2021
United States Department of Energy
Style	Madam Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Member of	Cabinet National Security Council
Reports to	President of the United States
Seat	James V. Forrestal Building, Washington, D.C.
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	No fixed term
Constituting instrument	42 U.S.C. § 7131
Formation	August 6, 1977
First holder	James R. Schlesinger
Succession	Fifteenth[1]
Deputy	Deputy Secretary of Energy
Salary	Executive Schedule, level I
Website	Energy.gov

The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fifteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Energy on October 1, 1977 by President Jimmy Carter's signing of the Department of Energy Organization Act.^[2] The position was originally developed to focus on energy production and regulation. During the 1980s, the emphasis shifted to development of technology for better, more efficient energy sources as well as education regarding energy. As the Cold War ended, the department's efforts were more often devoted to nuclear waste disposal and maintenance of environmental quality.^[3]

1. ↑ "3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute". Law.cornell.edu. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
2. ↑ "Origins". Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
3. ↑ "The Clinton Administration". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-07-29.