Washington, D.C. (February 25, 2021) — Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn today issued the following statement:
"EEI and our member companies congratulate Jennifer Granholm on her Senate confirmation to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and we look forward to working with her, the DOE team, and the Biden administration on a range of critical issues, including the clean energy transition and grid security.
“EEI’s member companies are leaders on clean energy, and we are committed to getting the energy we provide as clean as we can as fast as we can, without compromising the reliability and affordability our customers value.
“To meet our clean energy goals and to achieve a 100-percent clean energy future, we will need the right policies and the right technologies. We support the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of new, affordable, 24/7 carbon-free technologies, and DOE and the national labs are critical to this mission and to driving innovation.
“We also need policies that support our clean energy transition, and we appreciate Secretary Granholm’s interest in working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop more transmission. The transmission system is key to integrating more renewables and more clean energy into the energy grid affordably and reliably. EEI’s member companies are vital to transmission development, and we look forward to working with DOE, FERC, and the administration to get this critical energy infrastructure built more quickly.
“DOE also plays a critical role in electric transportation RD&D. As a former governor of Michigan, Secretary Granholm brings unique experience that will help both industry and government identify opportunities to advance electric transportation and drive down carbon emissions in the transportation sector.
“Protecting the energy grid from physical and cyber threats is a shared responsibility between the electric power industry and our government partners. DOE is an invaluable partner in our efforts to prepare for, and respond to, national-level incidents or threats to the grid.
“Our nation and our industry will benefit greatly from Secretary Granholm’s leadership experience, as we work together to enhance the reliability, security, and resilience of our nation’s energy grid to create a cleaner future for all.”
