Complexity in Developing an Integrated Plan for the Department of Energy Management of Nuclear Materials

摘要

The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) has developed a process to build integratedplans to identify programmatic uses for nuclear materials, as well as plans for the consolidationand disposition of excess nuclear materials. Because of the varied program missions within theDOE (including material users and material disposers) developing integrated plans is extremelychallenging, but necessary to manage limited resources and ensure accomplishment of keyobjectives. DOE is comprised of multiple program offices, sometimes with competingobjectives, that have responsibility for management and control of their nuclear material. TheOffice of Nuclear Materials Integration (ONMI) coordinates with these program offices to ensurenuclear materials are available to meet the highest priority requirements, facilitating transfer ofmaterial ownership as necessary to meet programmatic objectives and to dispose of materialsthat are no longer needed to meet Departmental missions. The ONMI collects nuclear materialinformation from approximately forty DOE sites through the annual Nuclear Materials InventoryAssessment (NMIA) process. This paper describes how the NMIA information is supplementedby other plans and schedules, as appropriate, to build plans for forecasting nuclear materialinventories, transfers, and disposition activities. This paper also illustrates how the ONMI isovercoming these complex challenges as they fulfill their responsibility to develop andimplement a comprehensive, integrated plan for all accountable nuclear materials.