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![handle is hein.gao/gaobaaxbg0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
DCCUMENT RESUME
05659 [1286236]
rReconciliation of Special Nuclear Material Unaccounted For].
END-78-58; B-157767. fay 5, 1978. 5 pp.
Roport to Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman, House Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce: Energy and Power Sutcoumittee;
by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller General.
Issue Area: Energy: Making Nuclear Fission a Substantial Energy
Source (1608).
Contact: Energy and ninerals Div.
Budqet Function: Natural Resources, Emniromment, and Energy:
Energy (305).
Orqanization Concerned: Department of Energy; Nuclear ftqulatory
Commission.
Conqzessional Relevance: House Committfe on Interstate and
Po-eiqn Commerce: Energy and Power Subccmmittee. Rap. John
D. Dingell.
Previous GAO reports on systems used to safeguard
nuclear materials pointed out weaknesses in material
accountability systems resulting from state-of-t, j-art
liaitations and the need for tighter ;hysical security
requirements. After the National Security Council determined
that 4material unaccounted for (RUF) data could be re*.ased
publicly, tha guclear Regulatory Commission (NBC) and the
Department nf Energy (DOE) released separate reports in August
1977 on special nuclear material inveEtory differences. The data
presented in these reports were different from that formally
provided GAO and the Congress. The agencies extlained that the
differences resulted primarily from their efforts tc refine and
expand the data originally provided. GA determined that the
differences resulted primarily from CC! efforts to adjust the
oriqinal data provided GAO by deleting non-aUF items which were
included in the NUF figures originally provided and separating
low e.ariched uranium from high enriched uranium in the HUE data.
Another major difference in reported HUF related to CO~ls
ULa' ±a Gaseous Diffusion Plant at Portsmouth, OtriO. DOE's
inability to separate low and bhqgb eaLiched uranium in the data
contractors subaitted demonstrates a serious past weakness in
their reporting requirements. The changes in data given GAO and
the Congress raise .questions about the reliability of the data
and underscore the imprecision invoived in account,' ng for HUE.
Both aqencies are trying to improve the capabilities of their
material accountability systems. (HTW)](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaxbg0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)