Nuclear Science:
Fast Flux Test Facility on Standby, Awaiting DOE Decision on Future Missions
RCED-92-121FS: Published: Apr 9, 1992. Publicly Released: May 11, 1992.
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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the: (1) rationale behind the Department of Energy's (DOE) decision to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at the Hanford Reservation in Washington; and (2) DOE response to proposals to keep FFTF operating.
GAO found that: (1) because DOE was not been able to find a mission to pay nearly $90 million in FFTF annual operating costs, it planned to close FFTF in April 1992; (2) in order to give DOE more time to consider FFTF for possible future DOE missions, FFTF was put on nonoperating standby status, effective in April 1992; (3) DOE has examined and rejected a number of proposals for domestic and international utilization of FFTF because those proposals produced too little annual income to support FFTF, were too costly to initiate, were too low-priority for scarce funds, and were more viable at other DOE facilities; (4) DOE has been considering a proposal for FFTF to produce plutonium-238, a power source for electricity used during space missions, and expects to make its decision on production by the fall of 1992; (5) DOE has been considering FFTF as a possible option for the production of tritium, but believes that tritium might occupy all of FFTF and exclude other missions; and (6) it will cost DOE about $50 million to $60 million to keep FFTF on a nonoperating standby status, and DOE estimates that FFTF will not be restarted until at least 1996, since there is a sufficient inventory of plutonium and tritium to last the next several years.
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
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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.
Apr 29, 2020
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Priority Open Recommendations:
Department of EnergyGAO-20-285PR: Published: Apr 22, 2020. Publicly Released: Apr 29, 2020.
Apr 17, 2020
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Priority Open Recommendations:
Nuclear Regulatory CommissionGAO-20-286PR: Published: Apr 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Apr 17, 2020.
Mar 11, 2020
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Modernizing the Nuclear Security Enterprise:
Uranium Processing Facility Is on Schedule and Budget, and NNSA Identified Additional Uranium Program CostsGAO-20-293: Published: Mar 11, 2020. Publicly Released: Mar 11, 2020.
Mar 4, 2020
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
Fee-Setting, Billing, and Budgeting Processes Have Improved, but Additional Actions Could Enhance EffortsGAO-20-362: Published: Feb 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Mar 4, 2020.
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