SC Radioactive Waste Program Runs $1.5B Over Plan

A federal audit shows that the cost of cleaning up millions of gallons of radioactive waste at a South Carolina facility will cost almost $1.5 billion more than expected.

The report released Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office finds that the U.S. Department of Energy underestimated the true costs of cleaning up the Savannah River Site in its $3.2 billion bid.

The GAO says the department underestimated labor costs by up to 70 percent and did not account for numerous other expenses.