The National Energy Act of 1978 (NEA78) was a legislative response by the U.S. Congress to the 1973 energy crisis. It includes the following statutes:

• Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) (Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 95–617)
• Energy Tax Act (Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 95–618)
• National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) (Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 95–619)
• Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act (Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 95–620)
• Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 95–621)

The legislative initiative was introduced by President Carter. The package was a major step in the legislation of the energy field, both the supply and the demand side. The package has soon been followed by Energy Security Act, 8 acts signed by president Carter in 1980.^[1] This sequel package addressed energy conservation and development of renewable energy sources.

The NEA78 and the "security" package established a framework for:

• Regulatory initiatives,
• Market-based initiatives,
• Energy efficiency programs,
• Tax incentives and disincentives,
• Energy conservation programs, and
• Alternative fuel programs.

Most of the market-based mechanisms have been retained in some form to the present, whereas command and control items have been abandoned.^[2]

The next major step in energy legislation in the USA was the Energy Policy Act of 1992.