5 Things You Need to Know About the Department of Energy
By Bill Siuru
Energy and Nuclear Safety
The Department of Energy, established in 1977 as a Cabinet-level department, has two basic responsibilities – nuclear safety and national energy policy. Its establishment brought together several separate agencies that handled various parts of the nation's energy policy including the Atomic Energy Commission, which was an outgrowth of the World War II Manhattan Project. The creation of this department was proposed by President Carter as the result of the 1973 energy crises.
DOE "Owns" Nuclear Weapons Used by The DOD
The nuclear weapons used by U.S. military forces are on "loan" from the DOE. Thus, the DOE is responsible for designing, testing, and production of all nuclear weapons. To accomplish this, it has several laboratories under its jurisdiction including the Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, and Los Alamos National Laboratories. It also has the Nevada Test Site for weapons testing and Pantex for dismantling and disposing of them.
Responsible for Much of the Government's Research
DOE sponsors more basic and applied scientific research than any other U.S. Federal agency. Most research is funded and managed through over 30 DOE National Laboratories and Centers including the ones above. This research is not limited to nuclear energy, but encompasses diverse programs that strengthen U.S. scientific discovery, economic competitiveness, and improving quality of life through innovations in science and technology.
Nuclear Safety and Security
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is charged with improving national security through the military application of nuclear energy. The NNSA maintains and improves the safety, reliability, and performance of the nation's nuclear weapons. This includes the ability to design, produce, and test them. The Office of Secure Transportation (OST) provides safe and secure transportation of nuclear weapons and components and special nuclear materials. It also conducts other missions to support national security. The Office of Cyber Security maintains the Computer Incident Advisory Capability service (CIAC). The CIAC provides computer-security related bulletins and provides advice on protection about viruses, hoaxes, and other malicious uses of the Internet.
Energy Security and Policy
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil. It also manages the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects, analyzes, and publishes statistical data about the nation's energy supply and use to ensure efficient markets, inform policy-makers, and help the public understand energy. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) maintains energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality through public-private partnerships. Current programs are addressing biomass, buildings, distributed energy and electricity reliability, federal energy management, FreedomCar and Vehicle Technologies, geothermal, hydrogen fuel cells and infrastructure, industrial technologies, solar energy, wind and hydropower, and weatherization. Since the early 1900s, the federal government has sold power produced at four federal power projects. The DOE's four Power Marketing Administrations markets this power through the Bonneville Power Administration, Southeastern Power Administration, Southwestern Power Administration, and Western Area Power Administration
Bill Siuru is a retired USAF colonel who has been writing about automotive technology for nearly 40 years. He has a bachelor's degree in automotive engineering, a PhD in mechanical engineering and has taught engineering at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
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