Consolidating Surplus Nuclear Material

DOE recognizes that a successful terrorist attack on a DOE site containing material that could be used in a nuclear weapon could have devastating consequences.

• DOE currently stores special nuclear material—including plutonium and highly enriched uranium—at 10 sites in eight states.

To reduce security costs, DOE plans to consolidate the material at fewer sites and dispose of material it no longer needs.

• Although the department has spent 2 years planning to consolidate and dispose of special nuclear material, its planning efforts are incomplete, and complex-wide consolidation and disposition activities have only recently begun.
• As a result, DOE cannot ensure that its plans will be carried out on schedule and within cost because its plans have limited descriptions of organizational roles and responsibilities and lack performance measures to monitor the department’s progress toward meeting its consolidation and disposition goals.
  
  Highlights of GAO-08-72 (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

• DOE needs to designate specific organizations that are responsible for the final approval of special nuclear material consolidation plans, as well as the coordination and funding for these plans.
• In addition, DOE needs to develop better performance measures that will allow DOE and Congress to monitor the department’s progress in consolidating and disposing of special nuclear material, including milestones for shipping special nuclear material for consolidation and outcome-based measures, such as quantities of special nuclear material that have been consolidated and disposed.
  
  Highlights of GAO-08-72 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

Securing U.S. Nuclear Material

Securing U.S. Nuclear Materials

Securing U.S. Nuclear Materials

Nuclear Security

More Reports