Department of Energy

Department of Energy
Agency name	Department of Energy
Logo width	200
Formed	August 4, 1977
Preceding1	Energy Research and Development Administration
Preceding2	Federal Energy Administration
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	James V. Forrestal Building, Washington, D.C.
Employees	14,382 federal (2022)
Budget	$51.0 billion (2023)
Minister1 name	Jennifer Granholm
Minister1 title	Secretary
Chief1 name	David Turk
Chief1 title	Deputy Secretary
Website	energy.gov

Department of Energy. It is a cabinet-level department of the Federal government of the United States responsible for advancing the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. Established in 1977 by the Department of Energy Organization Act signed by President Jimmy Carter, it consolidated energy-related programs from across the government. Its missions encompass a vast portfolio from maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile and managing environmental cleanup to pioneering research in renewable energy and nuclear power.

History

The creation was a direct response to the 1973 oil embargo and the broader 1970s energy crisis, which highlighted the need for a unified federal energy policy. It absorbed the functions of the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Federal Energy Administration, along with power marketing agencies like the Bonneville Power Administration. A significant part of its early structure and its national laboratory system originated from the Manhattan Project and the subsequent Atomic Energy Commission, which was split into the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Energy Research and Development Administration in 1974. Key legislative acts shaping its evolution include the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

Organization

The department is led by the United States Secretary of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and the United States Deputy Secretary of Energy. Its operations are divided into multiple under-secretariats overseeing major mission areas. These include the Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, who also serves as the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Under Secretary of Energy for Science and Innovation. The department's headquarters are in the James V. Forrestal Building in Washington, D.C., with extensive operations across the country, particularly at its national laboratories and production sites.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities are bifurcated between national security and civilian energy innovation. The national security mission involves the stewardship of the nuclear weapons arsenal through the National Nuclear Security Administration, including the Stockpile Stewardship Program, and the management of environmental remediation from the Cold War-era nuclear weapons complex, such as the Hanford Site. The civilian energy mission involves funding and conducting basic scientific research, developing advanced energy technologies like solar power and carbon capture and storage, setting energy efficiency standards for appliances, and maintaining comprehensive energy data and analysis through the Energy Information Administration.

Key programs and initiatives

Major programs include the Office of Science, which is the nation's largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences, funding work at facilities like the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the ITER fusion project. The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy funds high-potential, high-impact energy technologies. The Loan Programs Office provides financing for large-scale energy infrastructure projects, having famously supported companies like Tesla, Inc. and the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. Other significant initiatives are the Weatherization Assistance Program, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and the SunShot Initiative aimed at reducing the cost of solar energy.

Leadership and budget

The department is headed by the United States Secretary of Energy, appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. As of 2023, the Secretary is Jennifer Granholm, with David Turk serving as Deputy Secretary. The department's annual budget is determined through the congressional appropriations process, with the United States House Committee on Appropriations and the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations playing key roles. The fiscal year 2023 budget request was approximately $51.0 billion, with significant portions allocated to the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Office of Science.

Related agencies and laboratories

The department directly manages a network of seventeen National Laboratories, which are world-renowned research institutions. These include Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Argonne National Laboratory. Related federal agencies under its umbrella include the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (an independent regulatory body), the Energy Information Administration, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. It also oversees the power marketing administrations, such as the Western Area Power Administration and the Tennessee Valley Authority's power operations.

Category:United States Department of Energy Category:1977 establishments in the United States Category:Energy ministries Category:Government agencies established in 1977