Even as demand is growing for isotopes for medical uses, national security, manufacturing, and quantum science, dozens of these isotopes are in short supply—and the Department of Energy (DOE) is the sole domestic supplier for many of them. #nukesky www.gao.gov/products/gao...
In 2025 the Secretary of Energy directed revisions to the agency’s capital-asset management order to give contractors more authority and require fewer independent reviews. But as we’ve reported for >30 years, DOE needs effective contract oversight. #nukesky
U.S. GAO - Department of Energy: Efforts to Streamline Project Management at National Laboratories and Nuclear Sites [Reissued with revisions on Jul. 17, 2026]
The Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration manage over $65 billion in construction and acquisition projects at 16...
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NNSA has lots of exciting scientific equipment—like linear accelerators and huge supercomputers—that it uses to design, assess, and certify the nation’s stockpile of nuclear weapons. However, much of it is decades old and needs repair.
U.S. GAO - National Nuclear Security Administration: Additional Actions Needed to Plan for Science, Technology, and Engineering Facilities and Workforce Investments
The National Nuclear Security Administration relies on unique science, technology, and engineering facilities and a highly skilled workforce to...
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The Advanced Test Reactor in Idaho, around since 1967, is the only reactor that can meet testing requirements for nuclear submarine fuel. DOE identified options to maintain, upgrade, or replace it, but will need to do something about spent fuel storage. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Within NNSA’s portfolio of major projects ($100M+) with approved performance baselines, cumulative cost overruns have increased to $4.8 billion and schedule overruns to 30 years from what we reported in 2023 ($2.1 billion and 9 years). www.gao.gov/products/gao...
NNSA spends a lot of money on nuclear weapons & infrastructure. NNSA has requirements (similar to those of the Nunn-McCurdy Act) to formally notify Congress about cost overruns and assess the reasons for the overruns, but it hasn’t consistently done so. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Commuting can be a slog. One way NNSA can address recruitment & retention challenges at its labs is by making it easier to get to work, including by offering park-and-ride shuttles and public transit subsidies. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
In 2004 NNSA began planning the Uranium Processing Facility to replace Manhattan Project-era facilities at Y-12 in TN. Fast forward 21 years: UPF’s est. cost is up to nearly $10 billion and it’ll cost NNSA to keep using old facilities until UPF is complete. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
This morning @nytimes reported on radiological risks in Ukraine. We have a recent report on the range of nuclear security and safety risks related to the war in Ukraine. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
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You wouldn’t think the cost of a fixed-price construction contract could increase—but hundreds of NNSA’s run over, to the tune of $37.5 million just in FY23. NNSA’s construction budget is always tight so unexpected increases mean delays for other projects. www.gao.gov/products/gao... #nukesky
Fusion is essential for powering the USS Enterprise—and, here on earth, for maintaining and modernizing the U.S. nuclear stockpile without explosive nuclear testing. NNSA operates 3 fusion facilities for these purposes. www.gao.gov/products/gao... #nukesky
DNFSB has been busy—in addition to independently overseeing health & safety protections at U.S. defense nuclear facilities, it has been improving its management and planning based on recommendations from GAO and others.
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Or if you prefer…fission chips…as your main meal, check out our weapons Quick Look. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Cesium is so old school. There are much more cutting-edge ways to irradiate your shrimp. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
#nukesky When DOE’s Office of the Inspector General set up a division for auditing DOE’s largest contractors in 2021, it estimated it would cost ~$19 million/year to operate… but, as of 2025, the cost turns out to be more like $43.7 million.
Department of Energy: Inspector General’s Budget Estimates for Audits of Certain Contractors’ Costs Need Improvement
The Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General seeks to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. In 2021 the OIG established a new division to audit...
gao.gov
NNSA struggles to identify the total costs of its nuclear weapons programs and compare costs across contractors, making it hard for Congress and the agency to oversee these costs. We’ve made numerous recommendations over the years to address this. #nukesky
National Nuclear Security Administration: Progress Made Toward Fully Addressing Recommendations on Common Financial Reporting
The National Nuclear Security Administration pays contractors billions of dollars annually to run 8 sites where the agency maintains and modernizes U...
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#nukesky Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine amplified nuclear security and safety risks. In response, US agencies built on their decades-long nuclear security & safety efforts in the region, largely with supplemental appropriations.
Ukraine: DOE Could Better Assess Fraud Risks and Formalize Its Transition Plans for Nuclear Security and Safety Efforts
Russia's 2022 invasion made it harder for Ukraine to safely operate its nuclear power plants and secure sites with radioactive materials, which could...
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Nathan Anderson@atomicauditor.bsky.social · last yr.Each year we send a letter to DOE reiterating our highest-priority recommendations. This year’s letter discusses 30 recs for addressing key challenges related to DOE’s contract management and environmental liability, among others. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Congress requires NNSA to report on risks facing its industrial base—its supply chain, ops & facilities, logistics & transport, & workforce. While NNSA has processes to manage these risks, it hasn’t communicated priorities or resource needs for doing so. #nukesky
National Nuclear Security Administration: Reporting on Industrial Base Risks Needs Improvement
The National Nuclear Security Administration relies on contractors for thousands of parts for the nuclear weapons stockpile. However, NNSA faces risks...
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Small business can involve big numbers. To comply with government contracting goals, NNSA reported awarding $16.8 billion in small business contracts from 2018-2022. But of that amount, more than $1 billion went to businesses that were not actually small. #nukesky
Small Business Contracting: National Nuclear Security Administration Needs Increased Contractor Oversight to Reduce Reporting Errors
The federal government aims to award at least 20% of contract dollars to small businesses. The National Nuclear Security Agency and 6 of its...
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Nuclear weapons need chemical explosives, but NNSA’s supply chain for explosives is vulnerable to risks, like aging facilities, a changing regulatory environment, and budgetary constraints.
National Nuclear Security Administration: Explosives Program Is Mitigating Some Supply Chain Risks but Should Take Additional Actions to Enhance Resiliency
Nuclear weapons require high explosives to trigger nuclear detonation. The National Nuclear Security Administration needs new explosive components to...
gao.gov
Every two years, GAO releases its High Risk List – the areas of government most at risk for fraud, waste, abuse, or in need of major transformation. (And we’re the OGs on this subject – we’ve been providing this info to Congress since 1990.)
High-Risk Series: Heightened Attention Could Save Billions More and Improve Government Efficiency and Effectiveness
We issued our updated " High Risk List" in February 2025. The List highlights 38 areas across the federal government that are seriously vulnerable to...
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New today @GAO: To meet the challenges of its $200 billion nuclear modernization, NNSA conducted a study that identified areas for reform, such as project management & employee retention. NNSA took steps to implement these reforms, but cannot say whether they’re working. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
National Nuclear Security Administration: Fully Incorporating Leading Practices for Agency Reform Would Benefit Enhanced Mission Delivery Initiative
The National Nuclear Security Administration is overseeing a $200 billion nuclear modernization effort and hasn't been this busy since the Cold War...
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You’re busy people, #nukesky. We get that. To keep you up to date on all NNSA’s ongoing weapons work, we present our first “nuclear weapons quick look”—2-page overviews of all 6 of NNSA’s ongoing weapons modernization programs (and one that’s planned). www.gao.gov/products/gao...
The Office of Naval Reactors is building a new facility to manage spent fuel from warships at its facility in Idaho, but it’s already facing delays and over $2 billion in cost increases. #nukesky www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Naval Reactors: Independent Analyses of Cost, Schedule, and Quality of Work Needed for Spent Fuel Handling Facility Project
Some Navy warships are nuclear-powered. These ships generate spent fuel—which can pose risks to the environment and human health. The Office of Naval...
gao.gov
Increased costs, delays, and cancelations—Oh my! This can be the result of poor planning. DOE spends 10s of billions annually on contracts, so we looked into DOE’s planning for acquisitions. www.gao.gov/products/gao...
Department of Energy Contracting: Actions Needed to Strengthen Certain Acquisition Planning Processes
The Department of Energy has a record of inadequate contract management, which can lead to increased acquisition costs and delays. This has raised...
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It’s great to be on Bluesky! I’ll be sharing GAO’s work on #nuclear cleanup & environmental liabilities. Please also welcome my colleague @nukeoversight.bsky.social, who manages other parts of GAO’s nuclear portfolio. And please add us to your nuclear starter packs! www.gao.gov/nuclear-wast...
Nuclear Waste Disposal
Radiation is used in many different industries, including as fuel for nuclear power plants and in the production of nuclear weapons for national...
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Happy to be here, and looking forward to sharing GAO’s work on nuclear security.
