▁power ▁industry , ▁and ▁the ▁Energy ▁Research ▁and ▁Development ▁Administration , ▁which ▁was ▁task ed ▁to ▁manage ▁the ▁nuclear ▁weapon , ▁naval ▁re actor , ▁and ▁energy ▁development ▁programs . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁oil ▁crisis ▁called ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁cons olid ate ▁energy ▁policy . ▁On ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁President ▁Jimmy ▁Carter ▁signed ▁into ▁law ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Energy ▁Organ ization ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁( ), ▁which ▁created ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Energy . ▁The ▁new ▁ag ency , ▁which ▁began ▁operations ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁cons olid ated ▁the ▁Federal ▁Energy ▁Administration , ▁the ▁Energy ▁Research ▁and ▁Development ▁Administration , ▁the ▁Federal ▁Power ▁Commission , ▁and ▁programs ▁of ▁various ▁other ▁ag encies . ▁Form er ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Def ense ▁James ▁Schles inger , ▁who ▁served ▁under ▁Pres idents ▁N ixon ▁and ▁Ford ▁during ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War , ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁secretary . ▁ ▁We ap on ▁plans ▁st olen ▁▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁F BI ▁was ▁investig ating ▁how ▁China ▁obtained ▁plans ▁for ▁a ▁specific ▁nuclear ▁device . ▁W en ▁Ho ▁Lee ▁was ▁accused ▁of ▁ste aling ▁nuclear ▁secre ts ▁from ▁Los ▁Al amos ▁National ▁Labor atory ▁for ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China . ▁Federal ▁officials , ▁including ▁then - E ner gy ▁Secretary ▁Bill ▁Richard son , ▁public ly ▁named ▁Lee ▁as ▁a ▁suspect ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁charged