SPR maintenance failures triple GAO count; no plan to fix backlog

The GAO found 16 major equipment failures at the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve since 2013—more than triple the 5 DOE had previously disclosed. Failures include raw water piping and brine disposal leaks. The May 2026 GAO report states Congress and DOE lack a unified plan to align priorities on maintenance. The reserve stands at 319.5 million barrels, its lowest since April 1983.