US Department of Energy (DOE)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is one of the most rich and most diverse sectors in the federal government.Although the department was only established in 1977, its history can be traced back to the Manhattan program carried out for the development of atomic bombs during World War II, and various energy -related projects scattered in various federal institutions.

In 1977, the "Energy Organization Law" founded one of the most interesting and diverse institutions in the federal government.The department was established on October 1, 1977. It is the twelfth cabinet -level department. For the first time, two long -term coexistence of federal agencies integrate two planning traditions into one institution: 1) national defense responsibilities, including design, construction and testing nuclear weapons of nuclear weaponsThese responsibilities can be traced back to the efforts of Manhattan's plans to make atomic bullets; 2) loose combinations of energy -related plans scattered throughout the federal government.

The two major project traditions of the US Department of Energy

In August 1939, on the eve of World War II, Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt, telling him that the recent research shows that the nuclear chain reaction may make the manufacture of "great bombs" possible to become possibleEssenceIn response, Roosevelt launched a federal research plan and in 1942, the Army Engineering Corps established the Manhattan engineering area to design and produce the first atomic bomb.

Subsequent Manhattan plans tells the story of some of the most famous scientists in the century and the industry, the military and thousands of ordinary Americans working across the country to transform the original scientific discovery into a new weapon.After Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs exploded, when this national secret project was exposed to the American people, most people were surprised to find that there was such a government -operated, highly confidential operation, and its physical physics.Attributes, payments and labor are comparable to the automotive industry.During the peak, the project hired 130,000 workers, and at the end of the war, it had cost $ 2.2 billion.

After the war, Congress launched a fierce debate on the control of the people or the military control.In the end, the "Atomic Energy Act" was established in 1946, which established the Atomic Energy Committee (AEC), which took over the huge scientific and industrial complex of Manhattan's plan.

In the early days of the Cold War, the Atomic Energy Committee focused on designing and production nuclear weapons and development of nuclear reactors for naval advancement.In 1954, the "Atomic Energy Law" ended the government's exclusive use of atomic energy, and began the development of the commercial nuclear energy industry, giving the atomic energy committee to supervise the power of this emerging industry.

In the 1950s, the US Atomic Energy Commission carried out a series of projects aimed at developing atomic energy and utilization.With these efforts, the international atomic energy agencies and other bilateral and multilateral protocols were born, and the emerging domestic nuclear power industry also emerged. The Essehwell government hopes that the nuclear power industry can be closely combined with the development of nuclear power in Europe and other regions.Other peaceful utilization projects include radioactive homogenide of distributing Oak Ridge X-10 graphite reactors.These radioactives are used in the physical and chemical fields, industrial and agricultural applications. In the field of biomedicine, radioactin is used for cancer therapy and radioactive tracking agents for graduate biological processes.In addition, in 1954, as another display of peaceful use of nuclear energy, the US Atomic Energy Commission started the construction of the world's first full -size nuclear power plant in Shippingport in Pennsylvania.By the mid -1960s, 75 nuclear power stations have been ordered.

Until the 1970s, the federal government played a limited role in formulating national energy policy in the era of relatively cheap energy sources.The state relies on the private sector to meet most energy needs.Historically, Americans expect private enterprises to formulate production, distribution, marketing and pricing policies.When there is a lack of free market conditions, federal regulations are formulated to control energy pricing.

There is no overall energy policy.Government officials usually consider specific fuel, technology and resources, not "energy".

Energy Crisis and Energy Department

In the 1970s, the two major events fundamentally changed the role of the federal government in the energy field.First of all, the energy crisis of the 1970s accelerated a series of government reorganization because administrative and legislators tried to better coordinate federal energy policies and plans.Secondly, although the Atomic Energy Commission's activities in development and commercialization of nuclear energy represent the federal government for decades, the largest and most important energy projects in the past decades, whether it is necessary to separate nuclear permission and regulatory functions with the development and production of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons.The doubts have accelerated the abolition of the atomic energy committee and the establishment of the Energy Research and Development Administration and Nuclear Management Committee in 1974.

In 1977, the Ministry of Energy was established, incorporated most federal energy activities into a framework, and provided a framework for a comprehensive and balanced national energy plan.The nuclear management committee continues to perform its supervision responsibilities in the fields of reactor safety and radiation protection, while the Ministry of Energy is responsible for long -term, high -risk energy technology research and development, federal power marketing, energy conservation, nuclear weapons planning, energy supervision plan and central energy data collectionAnd analysis plan.

Through the world -class scientific realization of safety and prosperity

In the process of its development, the Ministry of Energy changed its work focus and attention with the changes in national needs.In the late 1970s, the Ministry of Energy emphasized energy development and supervision.In the 1980s, nuclear weapons research, development and production became priority.After the Cold War ended, the Ministry of Energy focused on the environmental cleanup of the comprehensive nuclear weapons and the anti -diffusion and management of nuclear arsenal.

In the 21st century, the primary task of the Ministry of National Defense was to respond to energy, environment and nuclear energy challenges through scientific and technical solutions to ensure national security and prosperity.The Ministry of National Defense is committed to transforming the national energy system, ensuring the leading position of clean energy technology, and pursuing world -class science and engineering as the cornerstone of economic prosperity, and strives to strengthen nuclear security through national defense, anti -diffusion and environment.