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                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 2587 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Apr 2, 2024**
          Nuclear Power Plants: NRC Should Take Actions to Fully Consider the Potential Effects of Climate Change
    GAO-24-106326
      Published:   Apr 2, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 2, 2024
.
    Climate change is likely to exacerbate natural hazards—such as floods and drought. The risks to nuclear power plants from such hazards include damage to systems and equipment that ensure safe operation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's oversight process includes addressing safety risks at these plants. However, NRC doesn't fully consider potential increases in risk from climate change. For example, NRC mostly uses historical data to identify...
      **Released on   Feb 20, 2024**
          Offshore Oil and Gas: Interior Needs to Improve Decommissioning Enforcement and Mitigate Related Risks
    GAO-24-106229
      Published:   Jan 25, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 20, 2024
.
    Oil and gas companies with offshore infrastructure must decommission it when it's no longer useful—by plugging wells and removing platforms within set deadlines. As of June 2023, more than 2,700 wells and 500 platforms were overdue for decommissioning in the Gulf of Mexico. Delays can increase environmental, safety, and financial risks. For example, delays could indicate that companies are in financial trouble and may leave...
          Oil and Gas Pipelines: Agencies Should Improve Oversight of Decommissioning
    GAO-24-106444
      Published:   Jan 18, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 20, 2024
.
    "Gathering pipelines" carry oil and natural gas from wells to other pipelines or facilities. Many—although an exact number is unknown—are located on federal lands and were installed decades ago. If not taken out of service properly, the pipelines may pose safety and environmental risks—including spills, emissions, or explosions. In this Q&A report, we look at the challenges several federal agencies face with ensuring the pipelines...
      **Released on   Dec 7, 2023**
          Nuclear Materials: DOE Plans for Savannah River Site's H-Canyon Facility
    GAO-24-106494
      Published:   Dec 7, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 7, 2023
.
    The Department of Energy uses the H-Canyon facility in South Carolina to help process certain nuclear materials for disposal—such as spent nuclear fuel that contains highly enriched uranium. Some of these materials have no other means of disposal, are unstable, and pose risks to people and the environment. Several programs within DOE and one at another federal agency rely on this facility that may close...
          Low-Dose Radiation: Agency Leadership and Collaboration Are Needed to Set the Direction of Future Research
    GAO-24-106317
      Published:   Dec 7, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 7, 2023
.
    Exposure to high doses of radiation is unhealthy—but what about low doses? The Department of Energy and other agencies have been supporting and conducting research to answer this question for more than 2 decades. In 2018, Congress directed DOE to lead a low-dose radiation research program. Congress also directed DOE to work with the National Academies to outline research priorities for the program. Its June...
      **Released on   Nov 30, 2023**
          High-Risk Radioactive Material: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Security of Sources No Longer in Use
    GAO-24-105998
      Published:   Nov 30, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 30, 2023
.
    "Radioactive sources" refers to nuclear materials that emit radiation and are sealed in containers that are specifically designed for use in medical, industrial, or research applications. For example, cesium-137 is widely used in a device that irradiates donor blood to make it safer for transfusions. These radioactive sources can only be used for a defined period—based on radioactive half-life—but some users delay disposal, leaving sources...
      **Released on   Oct 17, 2023**
          Nuclear Waste Cleanup: Army Corps Could Benefit from Following Leading Practices for Program Management for Contaminated Sites
    GAO-23-105968
      Published:   Sep 19, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 17, 2023
.
    Decades of nuclear energy research and weapons development created radioactive waste at sites in the Midwest and Northeast U.S.—leading to environmental risks for nearby communities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is cleaning up 19 sites at an estimated cost of $2.6 billion. But the Corps isn't using opportunities to manage this work in a coordinated centralized way. The Corps could use its resources more...
      **Released on   Aug 24, 2023**
          Nuclear Power: NRC Needs to Take Additional Actions to Prepare to License Advanced Reactors
    GAO-23-105997
      Published:   Jul 27, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Aug 24, 2023
.
    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses nuclear reactors. In the coming years, the agency expects an increase in licensing applications for advanced nuclear reactors that may provide benefits like faster and cheaper electricity production. NRC has begun updating its regulations and processes to include these reactors—but has had difficulty hiring and retaining the staff needed to license them. Although NRC has offered recruitment and retention incentives...
      **Released on   Aug 2, 2023**
          Electricity Grid: DOE Could Better Support Industry Efforts to Ensure Adequate Transformer Reserves
    GAO-23-106180
      Published:   Aug 2, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Aug 2, 2023
.
    Large power transformers help to efficiently transmit electricity across the grid. These critical grid components are vulnerable to wear and tear, natural disasters, and cyber and physical attacks. Replacing them is expensive and takes a long time. The Department of Energy intends to improve grid resilience by supporting the electricity industry as it works to ensure adequate reserves of spare transformers. DOE has identified ways...
      **Released on   Jun 1, 2023**
          Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Energy
    GAO-23-106459
      Published:   May 25, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 1, 2023
.
    Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List , and significantly improve government operations. This letter to the U.S. Department of Energy outlines 30 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, the U.S. electricity grid faces risks from climate change, and we recommended that DOE implement a department-wide strategy to...
      **Released on   May 17, 2023**
          Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Agencies Should Track Progress Toward Ambitious Federal Goals [Reissued with Revisions May 17, 2023]
    GAO-23-105300
      Published:   Mar 23, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 17, 2023
.
    To reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions, the White House issued a "Grand Challenge" that aims to increase the production of sustainable jet fuel to 3 billion gallons per year by 2030. Its goal is also to produce enough fuel to meet 100% of commercial jet fuel demand by 2050. Currently, this fuel is used at two large airports, but accounts for less than 0.1% of...
      **Released on   Apr 13, 2023**
          Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: USPS Should Plan for Potential Workplace Charging
    GAO-23-105781
      Published:   Apr 13, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 13, 2023
.
    The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is preparing to introduce electric vehicles into its delivery fleet, and is planning to install chargers for these fleet vehicles at some facilities. USPS employees could also benefit from these chargers by being able to charge their personal vehicles during a work shift. However, USPS has not incorporated the potential for sharing its fleet chargers with employees—or installing additional chargers...
      **Released on   Mar 30, 2023**
          Utility-Scale Energy Storage: Technologies and Challenges for an Evolving Grid
    GAO-23-105583
      Published:   Mar 30, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 30, 2023
.
    The U.S. electricity grid was designed to generate electricity and deliver it almost immediately to customers—very little is stored. Adding more energy storage could have benefits, like helping utilities Meet demand during supply disruptions Recover faster after outages Support renewable energy by storing power when natural sources—like wind and sunlight—are abundant and releasing it when they are not But it can be hard to put...
          Power Marketing Administrations: Additional Steps Are Needed to Better Manage Climate-Related Risks
    GAO-23-106224
      Published:   Mar 29, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 30, 2023
.
    Four "power marketing administrations" sell electricity generated from federal hydropower dams to public utilities, rural cooperatives, and Indian Tribes in over 30 states. The four entities face a number of climate-related risks to their operations. For example, decreasing water availability that resulted from droughts could reduce the amount of electricity generated from dams—affecting their ability to provide power. In 2022, two of the administrations identified...
          Fusion Energy: Potentially Transformative Technology Still Faces Fundamental Challenges
    GAO-23-105813
      Published:   Mar 30, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 30, 2023
.
    Nuclear fusion could produce electricity without carbon emissions or long-lasting nuclear waste. A 2022 experiment achieved a key milestone on the path to viable fusion energy: it was the first experiment in which the fusion reaction produced more energy than the energy injected into it. However, this technology faces challenges before it can produce commercial electricity. For example, new materials will need to be developed...
      **Released on   Jan 24, 2023**
          Department of Energy Contracting: Additional Actions Could Further Strengthen Competition
    GAO-23-105209
      Published:   Jan 24, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 24, 2023
.
    The Department of Energy relies on contractors to operate national laboratories and conduct environmental cleanup. Competition for these contracts saves taxpayer dollars and improves performance. DOE received multiple offers for most of its large contracts. But some industry representatives questioned the fairness of the award process, such as how officials rate potential contractors' relevant past work. We didn't find evidence to support such concerns, but...
      **Released on   Dec 15, 2022**
          Federal Energy and Water Management: Agencies Report Mixed Success in Meeting Efficiency Requirements, and Additional Data Are Needed
    GAO-23-105673
      Published:   Dec 15, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2022
.
    For decades the federal government has worked to improve energy and water efficiency at federal facilities. It remains the U.S.'s single largest energy consumer, and occupants of its about 350,000 buildings used 119 billion gallons of water in FY 2021. We looked at data for 27 agencies that report their energy and water use to the Department of Energy and their compliance with 6 energy...
      **Released on   Dec 8, 2022**
          Science & Tech Spotlight: Advanced Batteries
    GAO-23-106332
      Published:   Dec 8, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 8, 2022
.
    Scientists are developing advances in battery technologies to meet increasing energy storage needs for the electric power grid and electric vehicle use. Efforts are underway to replace components of widely used lithium-ion batteries with more cost-effective, sustainable, and safe materials. Advances in longer duration storage technologies, such as flow batteries, also have the potential to help integrate renewable energy sources for electricity generation and reduce...
      **Released on   Nov 17, 2022**
          Offshore Oil and Gas: Strategy Urgently Needed to Address Cybersecurity Risks to Infrastructure
    GAO-23-105789
      Published:   Oct 26, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 17, 2022
.
    A network of over 1,600 offshore facilities produce a significant portion of U.S. domestic oil and gas. These facilities, which rely on technology to remotely monitor and control equipment, face a growing risk of cyberattacks. A cyberattack on these facilities could cause physical, environmental, and economic harm. And disruptions to oil and gas production and transmission could affect supplies and markets. The Department of the...
      **Released on   Nov 14, 2022**
          Pipeline Safety: Fully Implementing Key Practices Could Help Improve Transparency of Enforcement Website
    GAO-23-105537
      Published:   Nov 14, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 14, 2022
.
    The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration inspects interstate natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, investigates accidents, and enforces laws and regulations. The agency puts information about its enforcement activities on its public Enforcement Transparency website. We found that the website generally aligned with key practices for transparently reporting government data, but the agency could make some improvements. For example, a better search tool could...
    
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