Office of the Inspector General’s Risk Assessment of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Decommissioning Trust Fund Oversight and Related Activities

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) contracted with Crowe LLP under contract/order number 31310023A0002 to conduct an identification and assessment of risks related to the oversight performed by the NRC on the decommissioning trust funds (DTF) used by licensees during the decommissioning of nuclear reactor sites. The project’s scope was to conduct a qualitative and quantitative risk assessment of the areas identified in collaboration with the OIG and other stakeholders. The focus of our review was on the decommissioning process and trust funds related to nuclear power reactor sites. As of September 5, 2023, the NRC had responsibility for twenty-three (23) power reactor sites that were either currently undergoing decommissioning or had permanently ceased operations. The scope of our analysis was the risks associated with the DTF expenses and the specific areas for which the NRC OIG has oversight.