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Secretary of Energy Advisory Board meeting minutes, July 20, 2026
U.S. Department of Energy · 2026-07-20
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# Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB)
## Meeting Minutes
Date: July 20, 2026
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 pm EDT
Location: Hybrid (Washington, DC / WebEx)
Chairs: John Addison and Scott Strazik, Co-Chairs
Secretary: The Honorable Chris Wright
Designated Federal Officer: David Borak
Prepared by: DOE Office Secretarial Boards and Councils Staff
### SEAB Members attending:
- John Addison, SEAB Co-Chair, Vitol (retired)
- Eimear Bonner, CFO, Chevron
- Cody Campbell, Co-CEO, Double Eagle Holdings
- Joseph Craft, CEO, Alliance Resources Partners
- Alex Cranberg, Chairman, Aspect Energy
- Tag Greason, Co-CEO, QTS Data Centers
- Bill Fehrman, Chairman & CEO, American Electric Power (Virtual)
- Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO, SC Johnson
- Jack Fusco, Chairman, President and CEO, Cheniere
- Doug Kimmelman, Executive Chairman, Energy Capital Partners
- Steve Koonin, Edward Teller Senior Fellow, Stanford University’s Hoover Institution
- Maryann Mannen, Chairman, President and CEO, Marathon
- Lucian Niemeyer, CEO, Building Cyber Security
- Michael Polsky, Executive Chairman, Invenergy
- Mike Rowe, CEO, mikeroweWORKS Foundation (Virtual)
- Scott Strazik, SEAB Co-Chair, President and CEO, GE Vernova
- Clay Sell, CEO, X-energy
- Vladimir Troy, VP of AI Infrastructure, NVIDIA (Virtual)
- Wil VanLoh, Founder and CEO, Quantum Capital Group
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# 1. Purpose of the Meeting
The inaugural meeting of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) convened to introduce the Board's mission, establish expectations for member engagement, and present the Secretary's initial charges for Board consideration. Secretary Wright emphasized that SEAB is intended to serve as an active advisory body that provides candid, actionable recommendations to improve Department of Energy (DOE) policy and execution. Members were encouraged to challenge assumptions, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop practical recommendations that support DOE's mission.
# 2. Opening Remarks
Designated Federal Officer David Borak opened the meeting, welcomed Board members, members of the press, and members of the public, and reviewed Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) requirements governing the meeting. He acknowledged DOE staff responsible for organizing the inaugural meeting and thanked Board members for volunteering their expertise in service to the Department and the Nation.
Co-Chairs John Addison and Scott Strazik welcomed members and reaffirmed the Board's commitment to providing thoughtful, strategic advice to the Secretary. Both emphasized the importance of leveraging the diverse expertise represented across industry, academia, science, and the energy sector.
# 3. Secretary's Strategic Priorities
Secretary Wright described DOE's mission as restoring focus to three fundamental objectives:
- Reliable Energy
- Affordable Energy
- Secure Energy
He stated that these priorities would guide Department decision-making and should serve as the framework for the Board's recommendations.
The Secretary observed that energy policy has increasingly prioritized political objectives over affordability and system reliability. He emphasized that DOE's principal responsibility is ensuring Americans have dependable and reasonably priced energy.
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# Energy Production
Secretary Wright highlighted several major initiatives underway across the Department.
DOE has resumed approvals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in response to growing international demand and the strategic importance of U.S. natural gas to allies.
The Secretary also described the Administration's effort to accelerate deployment of advanced nuclear technologies through regulatory reform and executive action. He cited the successful criticality of four next-generation reactors as evidence that ambitious national goals can accelerate innovation.
He further discussed DOE's Artificial Intelligence initiative, which seeks to leverage the Department's National Laboratories and scientific computing capabilities to accelerate discovery through improved access to research data. He noted that AI development will substantially increase future electricity demand and therefore reinforces the need for expanded energy infrastructure.
Finally, the Secretary outlined DOE's review of appliance and efficiency regulations with the goal of preserving consumer choice while reducing unnecessary costs imposed by federal regulation.
# 4. Secretary's Charges to the Advisory Board
Secretary Wright assigned two priority studies for the Board.
# Charge One: Connecting Large Electrical Loads
The Secretary requested recommendations addressing the rapid growth of electricity demand associated with artificial intelligence, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and industrial reshoring.
The Board was specifically asked to consider:
- Grid expansion
- Transmission infrastructure
- Permitting reform
- Grid modernization
- Reliable integration of large industrial customers
- Opportunities to accelerate deployment while maintaining affordability and reliability
The Secretary emphasized that future economic competitiveness depends upon expanding electrical infrastructure at a pace sufficient to support industrial growth.
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# Charge Two: Workforce Development
Recognizing anticipated growth in energy infrastructure construction, manufacturing, and nuclear deployment, Secretary Wright requested recommendations addressing workforce shortages.
Discussion focused on:
- Skilled trades education
- Apprenticeships
- Workforce recruitment
- Vocational training
- Industry partnerships
The Secretary noted that rebuilding America's industrial base will require significant investment in electricians, welders, construction trades, and other technical occupations.
## 5. Board Discussion
### Electric Grid Modernization
Board members discussed practical approaches to increasing electric grid capacity.
Secretary Wright emphasized that transmission permitting remains one of the principal barriers to infrastructure development and described recent efforts to streamline implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). He also highlighted opportunities to improve utilization of existing infrastructure through reconductoring, dynamic line ratings, and advanced grid management technologies.
Members generally agreed that modernization of existing assets may provide significant near-term benefits while longer-term transmission projects advance through permitting.
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# Public Communication
Members discussed the need for improved public understanding of electric grids, data centers, and electricity pricing.
The Secretary observed that many communities associate data center development with higher electricity prices despite DOE analyses indicating that areas experiencing demand growth have generally maintained stronger price performance than regions with stagnant or declining demand.
Members discussed opportunities for DOE to improve public education using objective data and accessible communication.
# Reliability
Considerable discussion focused on maintaining electric reliability during extreme weather events.
Secretary Wright cited recent winter storms as examples demonstrating the continuing importance of dispatchable generation resources, including natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy.
Discussion emphasized the need to evaluate future generation portfolios based upon performance during periods of peak demand rather than annual average production.
# Nuclear Energy
Industry representatives described significant optimism regarding the future of nuclear energy.
Members noted that supportive federal policy has improved market confidence but acknowledged that workforce capacity, engineering capability, manufacturing supply chains, and construction expertise will require sustained rebuilding after decades of limited development.
Discussion also highlighted the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in international nuclear exports as both an economic opportunity and a national security priority.
# Natural Gas and LNG
Board members discussed the continued expansion of LNG exports.
Industry representatives emphasized the abundance of domestic natural gas resources and identified pipeline infrastructure—not fuel supply—as the principal limitation on future growth.
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Members agreed that expanding natural gas infrastructure supports both domestic economic growth and allied energy security.
## 6. Public Comment
Two members of the public addressed the Board.
Mark Weiss, President of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, requested repeal of DOE manufactured housing energy conservation standards, arguing that the regulations increase housing costs and reduce affordability. [Written comments were also provided]
Jeffrey Frank, Assistant Chief Counsel for the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, encouraged the Board to consider the needs of small businesses and emerging energy technologies as it develops future recommendations. He emphasized opportunities in residential energy storage, geothermal technologies, virtual power plants, and energy management software.
## 7. Next Steps
Secretary Wright concluded by encouraging members to use their collective expertise to produce recommendations that are specific, implementable, and focused on measurable outcomes. He reiterated that the Board should identify not only new initiatives but also existing Department activities that no longer support DOE's mission. The Designated Federal Officer announced that future SEAB meetings are expected to occur quarterly, with meeting materials and minutes to be made available through the Department's public website.
I hereby certify that these meeting minutes of the July 20, 2026, SEAB meeting are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
John Addison
Co-Chair, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board