Navy Nuclear Power School

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO compared the overall cost of moving the Navy's Nuclear Power Propulsion Training Center (NNPTC) to Charleston, South Carolina, with the cost of retaining the center in Orlando, Florida. GAO noted that: (1) Navy cost data shows that moving NNPTC to Charleston will require more in upfront investment costs than retaining the center in Orlando; (2) this cost will take about 20 years to recover through reduced annual operating expenses; (3) annual operating costs at Charleston would be about $8.8 million less than at Orlando; (4) the one-time cost of relocating NNPTC to Charleston includes the construction of classrooms, living quarters, and an addition to the existing medical clinic; and (5) keeping the center in Orlando would not require such a large upfront cost, but operating the center would cost more per year in Orlando than in Charleston.