Office of Nuclear Energy

The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, a civilian sub-agency within the Department of Energy, funds nuclear research, development, and operational programs across the federal portfolio and administers contracts and grants supporting the nation's nuclear energy infrastructure and scientific advancement.

The Office of Nuclear Energy manages a substantial contract portfolio of 348 awards spanning forty-six years with a combined potential value of $46.71 billion and $30.2 billion obligated to date. Over the last five years, the office has awarded 35, 39, 29, 30, and 1 contract, respectively, in 2023 through 2027 year-to-date; the most recently recorded award date is in January 2027. Among 154 distinct prime contractors in the lifetime portfolio, competitive concentration is moderately concentrated by award count but highly fragmented by potential value. RSI Nuclear, LLC leads by recent award frequency with 24 awards totaling $20.1 million in combined potential value over the last five years. American Centrifuge Operating, LLC, however, holds $2.18 billion in combined potential value across only 3 awards, dominating the by-value ranking. The top five primes by award count account for 35 percent of recent awards; the top five by potential value represent only 5 percent of combined recent potential value, reflecting a portfolio where high-dollar large programs coexist with numerous smaller technical and support contracts. About 58 percent of awards carry no set-aside designation, while 33 percent are total small-business set-asides, with the remainder split among Competitive 8(a), 8(a) Sole Source, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, and Woman-Owned Small Business categories.

The Office of Nuclear Energy administers a significant grant portfolio of 1,068 awards obligating $5.08 billion in federal dollars (and $15.9 billion in combined federal and non-federal share) since 2009. Recent annual cadence shows 93 awards in 2022, 95 in 2023, 96 in 2024, 4 in 2025, and 77 in 2026. Grant-recipient concentration is fragmented: the top five recipients by award count account for 26 percent of recent awards and represent only 2 percent of federal dollars obligated, indicating broad distribution across smaller awards. University of Wisconsin System, The Pennsylvania State University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology lead by award frequency, each securing between 19 and 21 recent grants. The Pennsylvania State University, Regents of The University of Michigan, and University of Illinois top the by-dollars ranking, each receiving between $15.5 and $16.7 million in federal share over the window. Among 201 distinct grant recipients, universities dominate the active base. Grant assistance is predominantly Cooperative Agreements at 65 percent of awards, with Project Grants comprising 34 percent and Block Grants 1 percent.

Part of the Department of Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy works to improve the safety, cost, security, and efficiency of nuclear energy generation, largely through research and development.