The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is taking steps to establish a new supply of high-purity depleted uranium (DU) to modernize the nuclear weapons stockpile. DU for fabrication of weapons components must be in high-purity metal form. Producing DU metal generally involves first converting a byproduct of uranium enrichment, known as "tails," into a salt

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) did not consider cost estimates in early major design decisions for the W87-1 warhead because it was not required to do so, but NNSA has since changed its guidance to require that cost be considered, according to a May 2019 NNSA review of program documentation. The design decisions that remain for features that would achieve either minimum or en

Available information indicates that the transportation of natural gas by interstate transmission pipelines has been generally reliable. Using reports submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which oversees the reliability of service provided by interstate transmission pipelines, GAO found that interruptions in natural gas service without advance notice to customers occurred

Federal agencies have incorporated most but not all key collaboration practices in the permitting processes for export facilities for liquefied natural gas (LNG). GAO has identified seven key practices that can help sustain collaboration among federal agencies, including reviewing and updating written guidance and agreements. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Gua

The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is in the midst of a long-term effort to modernize the U.S. nuclear weapon stockpile and its supporting production infrastructure. NNSA's modernization plans and budgets are communicated to Congress on an annual basis primarily through two key documents—the Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP) and DOE's

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a separately organized agency within the Department of Energy (DOE), has identified a range of risks facing the W80-4 nuclear warhead life extension program (LEP)—including risks related to developing new technologies and manufacturing processes as well as reestablishing dormant production capabilities. NNSA is managing these risks using a va

The International Joint Commission's (IJC) process for developing and selecting the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Plan 2014 (Plan 2014) was generally consistent with relevant essential elements of risk-informed decision-making. During the 18-year process, IJC took steps to define objectives and performance measures to be used in its decision-making, identify various options, assess uncertaintie

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) verified about $515 million in cumulative cost savings claimed by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, (CNS) from fiscal year 2014 through fiscal year 2018 (see figure). CNS was awarded the management and operating (M&O) contract for both the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) in Tennessee and the Pantex Plant (Pantex) in Texas. Those savings

The improper payments amounts that the Department of Energy (DOE) reported in its annual agency financial reports (AFR) for fiscal years 2015 through 2019 may not be accurate or complete. Agencies with programs that are susceptible to significant improper payments—including those with more than $100 million of improper payments in a year—are required to report statistically valid estimates of

Over the past decade, the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) completed several actions to sustain the condition of its existing microelectronics facilities at Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia), which are NNSA's only source for producing strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics that can operate in environments with extreme exposure to radiation. I