United States Secretary of Energy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United States Secretary of Energy
Flag of the Secretary
Seal of the Department
Incumbent Jennifer Granholm since February 25, 2021
United States Department of Energy
Style	Mr. 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
Deputy	Deputy Secretary of Energy
Salary	Executive Schedule, level I

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. 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.

List of Secretaries of Energy

The first Secretary of Energy, James Schlesinger

Hazel O'Leary, the first woman and African-American to hold the position

Spencer Abraham, Secretary from 2001 to 2005

      Democratic (7)       Republican (9)

Status

      Acting Secretary of Energy       Reported Nominee for Secretary of Energy

No.	Portrait	Name	State of residence	Took office	Left office	Party	President(s)
1		Schlesinger, JamesJames Schlesinger	Virginia	August 6, 1977	August 23, 1979	Republican		Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
2		Duncan, CharlesCharles Duncan	Texas	August 24, 1979	January 20, 1981	Democratic
3		Edwards, JamesJames Edwards	South Carolina	January 23, 1981	November 5, 1982	Republican		Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
4		Hodel, DonaldDonald Hodel	Oregon	November 5, 1982	February 7, 1985	Republican
5		Herrington, JohnJohn Herrington	California	February 7, 1985	January 20, 1989	Republican
6		Watkins, JamesJames Watkins	California	March 1, 1989	January 20, 1993	Republican		Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
7		O'Leary, HazelHazel O'Leary	Virginia	January 22, 1993	January 20, 1997	Democratic		Clinton, BillBill Clinton
8		Peña, FedericoFederico Peña	Colorado	March 12, 1997	June 30, 1998	Democratic
9		Richardson, BillBill Richardson	New Mexico	August 18, 1998	January 20, 2001	Democratic
10		Abraham, SpencerSpencer Abraham	Michigan	January 20, 2001	February 1, 2005	Republican		Bush, George W.George W. Bush
11		Bodman, SamuelSamuel Bodman	Illinois	February 1, 2005	January 20, 2009	Republican
12		Chu, StevenSteven Chu	California	January 20, 2009	April 22, 2013	Democratic		Obama, BarackBarack Obama
–		Poneman, DanielDaniel Poneman	Ohio	April 22, 2013	May 21, 2013	Democratic
13		Moniz, ErnestErnest Moniz	Massachusetts	May 21, 2013	January 20, 2017	Democratic
–		Grace Bochenek		January 20, 2017	March 2, 2017			Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
14		Perry, RickRick Perry	Texas	March 2, 2017	December 1, 2019	Republican
15		Dan Brouillette	Texas	December 1, 2019	December 4, 2019	Republican
				December 4, 2019	January 20, 2021
–		David Huizenga		January 20, 2021	February 25, 2021	Democratic		Joe Biden
16		Jennifer Granholm	Michigan	February 25, 2021	—	Democratic