NNSA was established by Congress in 2000 as a separately organized agency within the U.S. Department of Energy.  (For a history of the Department of Energy, click here.)

NNSA is responsible for the management and security of the nation’s nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation, and naval reactor programs.  It also responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad.  Additionally, NNSA federal agents provide safe and secure transportation of nuclear weapons and components and special nuclear materials along with other missions supporting the national security.

The NNSA Act (Title XXXII of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, Public Law 106-65) specifies the agency’s national security missions:

• To enhance United States national security through the military application of nuclear energy;
• To maintain and enhance the safety, reliability, and performance of the United States nuclear weapons stockpile, including the ability to design, produce, and test, in order to meet national security requirements;
• To provide the United States Navy with safe, militarily effective nuclear propulsion plants and to ensure the safe and reliable operation of those plants;
• To promote international nuclear safety and nonproliferation;
• To reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; and
• To support United States leadership in science and technology.

In 2002 NNSA reorganized, removing a layer of management by eliminating its regional operations offices in New Mexico, California and Nevada. Contract and project management oversight responsibility for NNSA’s labs, plants and special facilities was given to the site offices.  NNSA headquarters retained responsibility for strategic and program planning, budgeting and oversight of research, development and nonproliferation activities.

A Service Center to provide procurement, human resources and other support services to the site offices was established in Albuquerque, NM, using expertise from the former operations offices.

NNSA relies on contractors to manage day-to-day site operations and to adhere to Department of Energy policies when operating the laboratories, production plants, and other facilities within the complex.  Together, the facilities implement NNSA’s all-encompassing Stockpile Stewardship program that includes operations associated with surveillance, assessment, maintenance, refurbishment, manufacture and dismantlement of the nuclear weapons stockpile as well as research and development and certification efforts.

To learn more about NNSA, check out NNSA's Strategic Plan.