Office of Global Threat Reduction | National Nuclear Security Administration

The mission of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) is to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials located at civilian sites worldwide. 

GTRI helps the Department of Energy achieve its Nuclear Security Goal (2.2.44) to prevent the acquisition of nuclear and radiological materials for use in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and other acts of terrorism. Three key subprograms of GTRI –Convert, Remove, and Protect—provide a comprehensive approach to denying terrorists access to nuclear and radiological materials.

Convert:  The Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Reactor Conversion subprogram supports the conversion of domestic and international civilian research reactors and isotope production facilities from the use of WMD-usable HEU fuel to LEU fuel.  These efforts result in permanent threat reduction because the use of WMD-usable HEU in the civilian fuel cycle is minimized or eliminated.


Remove:  The Nuclear and Radiological Material Removal subprogram supports the removal or disposal of excess WMD-usable nuclear and radiological materials from civilian sites worldwide.  The scope of work encompasses removal of Russian-origin nuclear material, U.S.-origin nuclear material, other nuclear materials not covered by the Russian and U.S. origin efforts, and removal of excess and vulnerable radiological material worldwide that could be used to make a dirty bomb. These efforts result in permanent threat reduction because WMD-usable material theft targets are eliminated.


Protect:  The Nuclear and Radiological Material Protection subprogram supports the protection of at-risk WMD-usable nuclear and radiological materials worldwide from theft and sabotage until a more permanent threat reduction solution can be implemented.  These efforts result in threat containment because WMD-usable materials are protected from theft and sabotage.