Overview
- DOE published a new organizational chart that removes the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, State and Community Energy Programs, the Federal Energy Management Program, and the Grid Deployment Office.
- The plan creates the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, establishes a Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office and an Office of Fusion, and rebrands the Loan Programs Office as the Office of Energy Dominance Financing while leaving ARPA‑E intact.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the changes align the department with President Trump’s energy dominance agenda and focus on affordability, reliability and stewardship of taxpayer funds.
- An internal email said EERE’s functions will be combined under the new minerals-focused office with elements from MESC, SCEP, FEMP, OCED and the Grid Deployment Office as those latter offices are wound down, though DOE has not detailed the fate of specific programs.
- The department did not say whether jobs will be cut, even as reporting notes roughly $7.5 billion in project cancellations in October, thousands of recent staff departures, notices to 180 employees of potential reassignment or termination, and expert warnings of likely congressional and legal review.