Cost To Retire Uranium Enrichment Facilities Should Be Included in Current Uranium Enrichment Charges
Highlights
GAO has maintained an interest in the Department of Energy (DOE) uranium enrichment pricing policies and procedures. DOE, the sole supplier of enriched uranium in the United States, has three enrichment plants in operation with a fourth scheduled to begin operation in the late 1980's. Eventually these plants will be retired. According to the former Energy Research and Development Administration, the costs to restore the plant areas to their original conditions were estimated to be up to 5 percent of the capital investments in the plants, or about $570 million. This would add about $1.50 per unit of enriching services to the current DOE price of about $89 per unit, and increase the average cost of electricity to consumers by 3 mills per kilowatt hour.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should prepare detailed estimates of the future cost of decommissioning and decontaminating the Nation's uranium enrichment facilities. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The validity of this recommendation will be examined as part of a scheduled followup review.
|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should modify DOE criteria for enrichment services charges to include a charge for enrichment plant decommissioning and decontamination costs. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The validity of this recommendation will be examined as part of a scheduled followup review.
|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should request any legislative authority needed to permit DOE to include future uranium enrichment plant decommissioning and decontamination costs in its present charges for uranium enrichment services. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The validity of this recommendation will be examined as part of a scheduled followup review.
|