Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Energy

What GAO Found

In June 2024, GAO identified 27 priority recommendations for the Department of Energy (DOE). Since then, DOE has implemented three of those recommendations by, among other things, issuing a revised cybersecurity policy and revising its insider threat program order.

In March 2025, GAO identified seven additional priority recommendations for DOE. GAO also removed one open recommendation from the priority list, bringing the total number to 30. These recommendations involve the following areas:

• improving contract, project, and program management;
• addressing nuclear modernization challenges;
• addressing DOE's environmental and disposal liability;
•  addressing strategic human capital management;
• enhancing energy reliability, security, and resilience;
• addressing insider threats and cyber security risks;
• improving financial management; and
• addressing worker protections.

DOE's continued attention to these issues could lead to significant improvements in government operations.

Why GAO Did This Study

Priority open recommendations are the GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional and/or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or ensure that programs comply with laws and funds are legally spent, among other benefits. Since 2015 GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.

For more information, contact Mark Gaffigan at gaffiganm@gao.gov.