Nuclear Materials

The Energy Department (DOE) faces a variety of important, unresolved safety problems with plutonium storage at the Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado. When the plant was shut down in 1989, DOE intended to restart operations in a few months and plutonium was left in place or packaged for short-term storage. However, the operations were never restarted and the plutonium stayed where it was, raising concerns about plutonium liquid leaking from pipes and tanks, fire hazards, and worker exposure to plutonium. Although DOE has efforts under way to address these problems, important decisions, such as what to do with the plutonium residues, have yet to be made. As a result, estimating the time frames and the total cost for resolving the concerns is difficult. In any event, fully implementing DOE's programs will take many years and will likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

GAO found that: (1) the 12.8 metric tons of plutonium stored at the DOE Rocky Flats Plant raises a number of important safety concerns; (2) the Rocky Flats plant faces the possibility of plutonium leaks, fire hazards, and worker exposure to plutonium because the plutonium has been packaged for short-term storage; (3) DOE has developed criteria for long-term plutonium storage and has begun inspecting plutonium metals for their compliance with fire safety standards to address its plutonium safety concerns; (4) it is difficult to accurately project time frames and costs for resolving plutonium storage problems at Rocky Flats because decisions on what to do with plutonium residues have not yet been made; and (5) resolving current and future safety concerns at the Rocky Flats Plant will likely require substantial investment and commitment.