Department of Energy 
Agency Plans and Reports
Mission
Advance U.S. national security and economic growth through transformative science and technology innovation that promotes affordable and reliable energy through market solutions and meets our nuclear security and environmental cleanup challenges.
Overview
The Department of Energy (DOE) enterprise is comprised of approximately 14,000 federal employees and over 95,000 management and operating contractor and other contractor employees at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. and 83 field locations. DOE operates a nationwide system of 17 national laboratories that provides world-class scientific, technological, and engineering capabilities, including the operation of national scientific user facilities used by thousands of researchers from academia, government, and industry. The range, scale, and excellence of science and technology (S&T) at the DOE laboratories provide strategic assets to accomplish DOE missions, support government responses to unforeseen domestic and international emergencies, and provide technical capabilities to help shape the global S&T agenda.
In response to changing needs and an extended energy crisis, Congress passed the Department of Energy Organization Act in 1977, creating one of the most diverse agencies in the federal Government. The legislation brought together for the first time, not only most of the Government’s energy programs, but also science and technology programs and defense responsibilities that included the design, construction, and testing of nuclear weapons. The Department provided the framework for a comprehensive and balanced national energy plan by coordinating and administering the energy functions of the federal Government. The Department undertook responsibility for long-term, high-risk research and development (R&D) of energy technology, federal power marketing, some energy conservation activities, the nuclear weapons programs, some energy regulatory programs, and a central energy data collection and analysis program.
The Department’s organizational chart is located here.
To access additional agency performance documents visit the agency’s website.