Energy Research and Development Administration

The United States Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) was a <a href="/facts/United_States_government/VJCxUaf7">United States government</a> organization formed from the split of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Atomic_Energy_Commission/7VXrvVJ9">Atomic Energy Commission</a> (AEC) in 1975. It assumed the functions of the AEC not assumed by the <a href="/facts/Nuclear_Regulatory_Commission/tbC56grX">Nuclear Regulatory Commission</a>.
The agency was created as part of the <a href="/facts/Energy_Reorganization_Act_of_1974/Uc37QChr">Energy Reorganization Act of 1974</a>, which was passed on October 11, 1974, in the wake of the <a href="/facts/1973_oil_crisis/fpuVQF2T">1973 oil crisis</a>. The act split the Atomic Energy Commission into two new agencies: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would <a href="/facts/Government_regulation/eFR0l2x9">regulate</a> the commercial <a href="/facts/Nuclear_power/jzSyvxSn">nuclear power</a> industry, while the ERDA would manage the energy <a href="/facts/Research_and_development/2h5UddUu">research and development</a>, <a href="/facts/Nuclear_weapon/QVdBcMdm">nuclear weapons</a>, and <a href="/facts/Naval_reactors/omrogq3u">naval reactors</a> programs.
The Energy Research and Development Administration was established on January 19, 1975. The first administrator was <a href="/facts/Robert_Seamans/K8XABwQT">Robert Seamans</a>, followed by <a href="/facts/Robert_Fri/AXdo8d4z">Robert W. Fri</a>.
In 1977, ERDA was merged with the <a href="/facts/Federal_Energy_Administration/p6wGCWzc">Federal Energy Administration</a> to form the <a href="/facts/United_States_Department_of_Energy/PRp6Cz8g">United States Department of Energy</a>.

Energy Research and Development Administration open-in-new

Energy Research and Development Administration