The U.S. Energy Department is considering whether to have a federal police force protect nuclear weapons facilities, a move that could threaten jobs with the private security company that guards the Savannah River Site.

Speaking Friday to security personnel at SRS, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said ensuring the safety of the most sensitive materials “may mean establishing a special, elite federal force” for high-priority facilities.

Abraham did not discuss specifically how that would affect SRS or DOE’s 10 other nuclear complexes across the nation.

But SRS spokesman Bill Taylor said, “There is a potential that we could have major changes in our security.”

Wackenhut Services Inc. runs the sole 900-member security team that safeguards the Aiken County nuclear facility.

Wackenhut president James L. Long III issued a statement saying the company looks forward to continuing its work with the department. A spokeswoman said the company would take no questions.

Though Abraham did not elaborate about a federal security force, he said that within two years he expects to have “a uniform group capable of fully meeting the immense challenges” of post 9/11 security threats.

Some members of Congress and public interest watchdog groups have criticized the department for failing to improve security enough in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks 2½ years ago.

Congressional auditors said recently that security improvements ordered by the Energy Department might take five years to carry out.

Whistle-blowers speaking through watchdog groups claim private guards at weapons facilities are poorly trained and have low morale.

Yet Abraham commended the security force at SRS. “You are the best our protective services have to offer. You are the exceptional members of our protective forces.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.Reach LeBlanc at (803) 771-8664 or cleblanc@thestate.com.