Nuclear Science:
History and Management of the DOE/Air Force Small Reactor Project
RCED-88-138: Published: May 26, 1988. Publicly Released: Jun 29, 1988.
Additional Materials:
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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information regarding the joint Department of Energy (DOE) and Air Force Small Reactor Project, focusing on its origin, history, and funding.
GAO found that: (1) using DOE discretionary funds, the DOE laboratory at Los Alamos initiated the project in June 1983 to determine whether a small nuclear reactor could satisfy the Air Force's electric power needs; (2) the laboratory obtained vendor participation and designs, formed project support groups, and prepared a formal plan to obtain DOE funding; (3) DOE and the Air Force found faults in the laboratory's feasibility study; (4) DOE assigned project management to one of its operations offices in early 1984, citing its more appropriate role in nuclear reactor technology; (5) laboratory and Air Force officials cited project-related disagreements as influencing the DOE reassignment of project management; (6) lack of coordination or communication with the laboratory caused the operations office to duplicate some of the laboratory's activities; (7) the Air Force transferred its project responsibility to another division, which recommended termination, citing the Senate's denial of its request to use military construction funds, anticipated budgetary constraints, and the lack of adequate requirements definition; (8) the project's total cost was $3.75 million, consisting of $450,000 from the DOE laboratory and $3.3 million from DOE; and (9) the Air Force reimbursed DOE $540,000 for its share of project costs in fiscal years 1986 and 1987.
Dec 10, 2020
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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