Priority Open Recommendations: Nuclear Regulatory Commission

What GAO Found

In May 2024, GAO identified eight priority recommendations for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that if implemented, would address the security of radiological sources and improve the reliability of NRC's cost estimates. All eight priority recommendations remain open. In May 2025, GAO identified one additional priority recommendation that if implemented, would improve risk-informed decision-making. This brings our total NRC priority recommendations to nine. The recommendations are in the following areas:

• Addressing the security of radiological sources,
• Improving the reliability of cost estimates, and
• Improving risk-informed decision-making.

NRC's continued attention to these issues could lead to significant improvements in government operations.

Why GAO Did This Study

Priority open recommendations are the GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because (1) their implementation could save large amounts of money; (2) improve congressional or executive branch decision-making on major issues; (3) eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or (4) ensure that programs comply with laws and that funds are legally spent, among other benefits. Since 2015, GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.

For more information, contact Mark Gaffigan at gaffiganM@gao.gov.