Great Plains:
Status of the Great Plains Coal Gasification Project
RCED-86-49FS: Published: Nov 8, 1985. Publicly Released: Nov 8, 1985.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
In response to a congressional request, GAO reported on the Great Plains Coal Gasification Project in North Dakota following the project sponsors' default of a $1.54 billion federal loan.
GAO found that: (1) a purchase order pricing formula controls the price of the fuel produced by the project; (2) the Department of Energy (DOE) has paid off the project's principal and interest payment due August 6, 1985 from the project's appropriated loan guarantee default reserve fund and plans to ask Congress for whatever additional appropriations may be needed to retire the loan; (3) the Attorney General's assistance will be needed to protect the government's interest in the project and to recover payments DOE has made on behalf of the project; (4) until DOE obtains title to the property, its options are fairly limited; (5) DOE has negotiated an interim agreement with a private company which will operate the project; (6) DOE has no liability under current supply contracts; (7) litigation is pending as to whether present gas purchase agreements remain valid; (8) a standstill agreement was effected to keep the plant in operation while federal price supports were being negotiated and to delay interest and guarantee fee payments; (9) pending a final decision, additional equity contributions may be required to meet liabilities incurred under the standstill agreement; (10) auditors reported that the accounts payable and accrued liabilities of the project as of July 31, 1985, were presented fairly and no unrecorded liabilities were found; (11) DOE is studying its options on the future of the project; and (12) North Dakota officials believe that the closing of the project could have a significant socioeconomic impact on the state.
Dec 10, 2020
Uranium Management:
Actions to Mitigate Risks to Domestic Supply Chain Could Be Better Planned and CoordinatedGAO-21-28: Published: Dec 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2020.
Dec 8, 2020
-
Offshore Wind Energy:
Planned Projects May Lead to Construction of New Vessels in the U.S., but Industry Has Made Few Decisions amid UncertaintiesGAO-21-153: Published: Dec 8, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 8, 2020.
Nov 19, 2020
-
Nuclear Waste Disposal:
Better Planning Needed to Avoid Potential Disruptions at Waste Isolation Pilot PlantGAO-21-48: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020.
Oct 29, 2020
-
Nuclear Safety:
DOE and the Safety Board Should Collaborate to Develop a Written Agreement to Enhance OversightGAO-21-141: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2020.
Oct 15, 2020
-
Nuclear Weapons:
NNSA Plans to Modernize Critical Depleted Uranium Capabilities and Improve Program ManagementGAO-21-16: Published: Oct 15, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 15, 2020.
Jul 24, 2020
-
Nuclear Weapons:
Action Needed to Address the W80-4 Warhead Program's Schedule ConstraintsGAO-20-409: Published: Jul 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 24, 2020.
Jun 24, 2020
-
National Nuclear Security Administration:
Analyzing Cost Savings Program Could Result in Wider Use and Additional Contractor EfficienciesGAO-20-451: Published: Jun 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 24, 2020.
Jun 9, 2020
-
Nuclear Weapons:
NNSA Needs to Incorporate Additional Management Controls Over Its Microelectronics ActivitiesGAO-20-357: Published: Jun 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 9, 2020.
May 13, 2020
-
Environmental Liabilities:
DOE Needs to Better Plan for Post-Cleanup Challenges Facing SitesGAO-20-373: Published: May 13, 2020. Publicly Released: May 13, 2020.
May 12, 2020
-
Hanford Waste Treatment Plant:
DOE Is Pursuing Pretreatment Alternatives, but Its Strategy Is Unclear While Costs Continue to RiseGAO-20-363: Published: May 12, 2020. Publicly Released: May 12, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here
Explore our Key Issues on Energy
- Air Quality
- Climate Change Funding and Management
- Climate Change Response
- Department of Energy's Contract Management for the National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Environmental Management - High Risk Issue
- Economic Sanctions
- Electricity Markets, Grid Security and Resilience
- Hardrock Mining on Federal Lands
- Improving Federal Programs that Serve Tribes and Their Members - High Risk Issue
- Limiting the Federal Government's Fiscal Exposure by Better Managing Climate Change Risks - High Risk Issue
- Management of Federal Oil and Gas Resources - High Risk Issue
- Managing Federal Lands and Waters
- Nuclear Energy
- Nuclear Nonproliferation
- Nuclear Waste Disposal
- Nuclear Weapons and Forces Sustainment and Modernization
- Oil, Natural Gas, and Alternative Fuels
- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Security of Radioactive Materials
- Tribal and Native American Issues
- Understanding Climate Change
- U.S. Arctic Interests
Explore our other Key Issues here
