Nuclear Nonproliferation and Safety: Challenges Facing the International Atomic Energy Agency
NSIAD/RCED-93-284
Published: Sep 22, 1993. Publicly Released: Oct 25, 1993.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) nuclear power plant safety programs, focusing on: (1) program effectiveness and funding; (2) management of U.S. technical assistance for IAEA safeguard programs; and (3) the effectiveness of the IAEA program for advising member states on nuclear power plant safety.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State | To strengthen IAEA full-scope safeguards, the Secretary of State should fully support the measures recommended by the IAEA safeguards advisory group and take the lead in gaining the support of the IAEA board to adopt the measures. |
The U.S. delegation to IAEA's June and December 1993 board meetings expressed support for measures recommended by IAEA's Safeguards Advisory Committee through verbal and written statements.
|
| Department of State | To expand IAEA safeguards coverage to all nuclear material and enhance the agency's credibility, the Secretary of State should encourage all IAEA member states to accept full-scope safeguards. |
The State Department has sent demarches to all non-parties urging them to conclude full-scope safeguards agreements.
|
| Department of State | To alleviate IAEA difficulties in funding its safeguards program, the Secretary of State should encourage other member states on the IAEA board to permit IAEA to use year-end cash surpluses, when they exist, to fund program activities. |
State believes that the application of surpluses to program activities should be determined on a case-by-case basis, rather than changing IAEA's regulations to require such activity. State concurs with the thrust of the recommendation, and GAO believes that the position is reasonable.
|
| Department of State | To alleviate IAEA difficulties in funding its safeguards program, the Secretary of State should encourage other member states on the IAEA board to require IAEA to prioritize program activities in developing its budget and in implementing any forced budget reductions. |
According to State, IAEA's Director General is unwilling to prioritize program activities in developing its budget and implementing budget reductions even though State has advocated this approach. State concurs with the recommendation and will continue to press the matter.
|
| Department of State | To alleviate IAEA difficulties in funding its safeguards program, the Secretary of State should encourage other member states on the IAEA board to classify expenses associated with increases in IAEA safeguards obligations as nondiscretionary costs and therefore eligible for funding increases under zero real growth, in the event that the use of surplus funds or IAEA efforts to prioritize program activities do not yield sufficient funding for safeguards needs. |
State has communicated its position to IAEA that safeguards obligations should be categorized as nondiscretionary costs. To date, IAEA's board has not accepted this view. State will continue to press the matter; it concurs with the recommendation.
|
| Department of State | To improve the management of POTAS, the Secretary of State should direct the Technical Support Coordinating Committee to revise the International Safeguards Project Office (ISPO) charter to include specific responsibility for monitoring contractor performance and facilitating task implementation, including: (1) obtaining information on task progress and expenditures from national laboratories and private vendors; (2) consulting on a regular basis with contractors and IAEA to discuss task progress; (3) assisting in resolving disagreements between contractors and IAEA; and (4) routinely reporting on task implementation to the coordinating committee. |
In a January 18, 1995, letter to GAO, DOE outlined specific actions taken to implement the recommendations, including: (1) issuing policy papers on contractor selection, reporting requirements, and task monitoring; and (2) establishing a new steering committee to coordinate all U.S. assistance to IAEA.
|
| Department of State | To improve the management of POTAS, the Secretary of State should direct the Technical Support Coordinating Committee to advise IAEA officials that all POTAS-funded contracts with private vendors must include a provision requiring the vendor to routinely report information on progress and expenditures on POTAS tasks to ISPO. |
In a January 18, 1995, letter to GAO, DOE outlined specific actions taken to implement the recommendations, including: (1) issuing policy papers on contractor selection, reporting requirements, and task monitoring; and (2) establishing a new steering committee to coordinate all U.S. assistance to IAEA.
|
| Department of State | To ensure that U.S. assistance efforts meet valid IAEA needs and are not duplicative, the Secretary of State should designate the Technical Support Coordinating Committee as the focal point for evaluating IAEA requests for assistance funded under POTAS and DOE international safeguards program and determining whether and how the requests should be met. |
In a January 18, 1995 letter to GAO, DOE outlined specific actions taken to implement the recommendations, including: (1) issuing policy papers on contractor selection, reporting requirements, and task monitoring; and (2) establishing a new steering committee to coordinate all U.S. assistance to IAEA.
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Budget authorityInternational agreementsInternational cooperationInternational relationsNuclear fuel plant safetyNuclear powerplant safetyNuclear proliferationSafety standardsTechnical assistanceTreaties