Kelly Lefler is the Deputy Director for the Environmental Reviews, Permitting, and Resource Adequacy Division in the Grid Deployment Office at the U.S. Department of Energy, which oversees activities to expand and enhance the performance and function of electricity markets through four key areas: supporting operations of critical generation facilities including nuclear power and hydroelectric facilities, providing wholesale electricity market analysis and technical assistance, executing DOE authorities for Federal transmission permitting, and providing programmatic environmental assessment and monitoring.
With the U.S. Department of Energy since 2015, Kelly has served in several offices, including the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, Office of Nuclear Energy and Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis. Kelly has been a major contributor to cross-cutting analyses, such as the Quadrennial Energy Review, and worked to advance collaborative R&D efforts, like the Grid Modernization Initiative. She was a key leader in the initial implementation and development of the Civil Nuclear Credit Program to help preserve the existing U.S. reactor fleet by preventing premature retirement of existing commercial nuclear reactors due to economic factors.
Kelly earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University and Bachelors of Science in Chemistry and Science, Technology, and Culture from Georgia Tech.