Audit Report: OAS-L-10-08

August 23, 2010

National Nuclear Security Administration's Contracts for the Down-Blending of Highly Enriched Uranium

To support nonproliferation objectives, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) manages a program for converting surplus highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) suitable for use in commercial nuclear reactors. Under this program, NNSA entered into agreements with a private contractor to produce LEU by blending HEU with natural uranium. Since 1994, NNSA has declared 209 metric tons of HEU as surplus to national security needs and has disposed of 132 metric tons.

Topic: National Security & Safety