The Energy Department refuses to provide data that would timely identify waste, fraud, and abuse from its workforce and contractors, the Office of Inspector General found in a scathing report posted online Wednesday.

In one case, the inspector general’s office elevated a concern directly to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and other top agency officials in a meeting. But the auditor still faced delays getting necessary information to conduct oversight, raising significant concerns at a time the department has unprecedented funding and 72 new programs.

“During the course of these protracted discussions with the department, the OIG discovered a very troubling …