More nuclear weapons, less for renewables: Here's how DOE's requested budget looks

As the Department of Energy plans to tighten its belt, one of its agencies is looking to cut loose.

A brief on requested funding for the upcoming fiscal year shows proposed cuts to several programs, including renewable energy and other research. But, if the request is fulfilled, the National Nuclear Security Administration is on track to see a big spending boost.

While DOE as a whole is requesting a 7% smaller budget than last fiscal year, the NNSA — which oversees the nation’s nuclear enterprise, including facilities like Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories — is requesting a 25% budget increase, drawing criticism from anti-nuclear groups. All told, the agency’s budget makes up more than half of the Department of Energy’s $46 billion requested budget.

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