Dr. Kathryn Huff is the U.S. Department of Energy’s new assistant secretary for nuclear energy.
She was confirmed by the Senate earlier this month and takes over a $1.7 billion R&D portfolio for the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). Prior to her confirmation, she served as a senior advisor to Secretary Jennifer Granholm and was NE’s principal deputy assistant secretary.
Dr. Huff steps into the role at a crucial moment for nuclear energy as the industry looks to maintain its existing fleet, deploy advanced reactors, and address key issues with its infrastructure and supply chain.
She recently sat down with the Office of Nuclear Energy to share her priorities for the office, thoughts on the challenges ahead, and her perspective on nuclear’s future role in the nation’s clean energy transition in this recorded interview.