Evaluation of the Administration's proposed nuclear non-proliferation strategy. Report to the Congress

Technical Report · Tue Oct 04 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:5156494

Dwindling supplies of fossil fuels are causing countries to turn increasingly to nuclear power as a major source of energy. Although nuclear power holds out the promise of energy independence, it has a formidable drawback--it can also lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. In April, the President announced a new policy designed to curb nuclear proliferation and the executive branch proposed legislation entitled 'The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Policy Act of 1977.' The strategy outlined in these documents calls for stricter export controls and safeguards as well as actions affecting uranium enrichment services, reprocessing, storing of spent fuel, and disposing of radioactive nuclear wastes. GAO analyzed this non-proliferation strategy as it relates to: Improving nuclear export controls; Strengthening international nuclear safeguards; Maintaining U.S. reliability as a supplier of uranium enrichment services; Deferring U.S. reprocessing of spent fuel as an example for others; Reducing risk of proliferation by controlling spent reactor fuel. In general, GAO concluded that the administration's strategy is constructive but noted some weaknesses which should be addressed. Some of the problems noted in this report may already have been addressed by congressional committees in their markup of the legislation.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, D.C. (USA). International Div.
• OSTI ID: 5156494
• Report Number(s): PB-272399; ID-77-53
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
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GOVERNMENT POLICIES
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USA