f Almost all cellular functions are powered by a continuous energy supply derived from cellular metabolism. However, it is little understood how cellular energy production is coordinated with diverse energy-consuming cellular functions. Here, using the cardiac muscle system, we demonstrate that nuclear receptors estrogen-related receptor ␣ (ERR␣) and ERR␥ are essential transcriptional coordinators of cardiac energy production and consumption. On the one hand, ERR␣ and ERR␥ together are vital for intact cardiomyocyte metabolism by directly controlling expression of genes important for mitochondrial functions and dynamics. On the other hand, ERR␣ and ERR␥ influence major cardiomyocyte energy consumption functions through direct transcriptional regulation of key contraction, calcium homeostasis, and conduction genes. Mice lacking both ERR␣ and cardiac ERR␥ develop severe bradycardia, lethal cardiomyopathy, and heart failure featuring metabolic, contractile, and conduction dysfunctions. These results illustrate that the ERR transcriptional pathway is essential to couple cellular energy metabolism with energy consumption processes in order to maintain normal cardiac function. E very cell's own survival and vital functions are supported by energy-generating metabolic pathways. The cellular energy supply and demand must be coordinated, and an imbalance results in cellular dysfunctions and diseases from heart failure to obesity (1, 2). Although the regulation of cellular energy production and consumption individually are focuses of intensive research, it is little understood how these two processes are coordinated. One possible mechanism lies at the level of transcription where the expression of genes critical in both cellular energy production and utilization processes can be regulated in an orchestrated manner. However, such transcription coordinators that directly regulate multiple energy-generating cellular metabolic pathways and energy-consuming cellular functions remain to be established.The heart offers an ideal system for studying coordination of energy production and consumption. It continuously pumps blood to all the organs, involving energy-demanding processes such as myocardial contraction and electrical conduction (3). Accordingly, cardiomyocytes maintain an exceedingly high metabolic rate and depend on vigorous fatty acid oxidation (FAO), oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos), and dynamic mitochondrial networks to generate energy that supports these functions (4, 5). Indeed, defects in cardiomyocyte metabolism and mitochondrial function are underlying causes of, or are associated with, many cardiac diseases, including cardiomyopathy and heart failure, that affect millions of people (6-9).Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors with important roles in both physiological and pathological settings (10-12). Among the 48 NRs in the human genome, several NRs and their coactivators have been identified as key regulators of cardiac metabolism (13-16). In particular, recent work has revealed...