ML20304A286

Federal Register Notice for COVID-19 October 2020 Group Exemptions

ML20304A286
Person / Time
Site:	Calvert Cliffs, Point Beach, Grand Gulf, Arkansas Nuclear, Callaway, South Texas, Cook
Issue date:	11/20/2020
From:	James Danna NRC/NRR/DORL/LPL1
To:
Ronewicz, Lynn, 301-415-1927
References
11/25/2020, 85 FR 75378-75380, NRC-2020-0110
Download: ML20304A286 (7)

Text

[7590-01-P]

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-313, 50-368, 50-483, 50-317, 50-318, 50-315, 50-316, 50-416, 50-266, 50-301, 50-498, 50-499, NRC-2020-0110]

Issuance of Multiple Exemptions in Response to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemptions; issuance.

SUMMARY

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued seven exemptions in response to requests from six licensees. The exemptions afford these licensees temporary relief from certain requirements under NRC regulations. The exemptions are in response to the licensees requests for relief due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE). The NRC is issuing a single notice to announce the issuance of the exemptions.

DATES: During the period from October 6, 2020, to October 26, 2020, the NRC granted seven exemptions in response to requests submitted by licensees from July 13, 2020, to October 8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2020-0110 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly available information related to this document using any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0110. Address questions about NRC Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges; telephone: 301-287-9127; e-mail:

Jennifer.Borges@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.

• NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select Begin Web-based ADAMS Search. For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRCs Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov.

• Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request to the PDR via e-mail at PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

(EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For the convenience of the reader, instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are provided in the Availability of Documents section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Danna, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7422, e-mail: James.Danna@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction During the period from October 6, 2020, to October 26, 2020, the NRC granted seven exemptions in response to requests submitted by licensees from July 13, 2020, to October 8, 2020. These exemptions temporarily allow the licensees to deviate from certain requirements (as cited below) of various parts of chapter I of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).

The exemptions from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 26, Fitness for Duty Programs, for Indiana Michigan Power Company (for Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2), and NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC (for Point Beach Nuclear 2

Plant, Units 1 and 2), afford these licensees temporary relief from the work-hour controls under 10 CFR 26.205(d)(1) through (d)(7). The exemptions from 10 CFR 26.205(d)(1) through (d)(7) ensure that the control of work hours and management of worker fatigue do not unduly limit licensee flexibility in using personnel resources to most effectively manage the impacts of the COVID-19 PHE on maintaining the safe operation of these facilities. Specifically, these licensees have stated that their staffing levels are affected or are expected to be affected by the COVID-19 PHE, and they can no longer meet or likely will not meet the work-hour controls of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(1) through (d)(7). These licensees have committed to effecting site-specific administrative controls for COVID-19 PHE fatigue-management for personnel specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a).

The exemptions from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities, section IV.F., Training, for Entergy Operations, Inc. (for Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2), and STP Nuclear Operating Company (for South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2),

grant temporary exemptions from the biennial emergency preparedness exercise requirement. The exemptions allow a temporary exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, regarding the conduct of the biennial emergency preparedness exercise. These exemptions will not adversely affect the emergency response capability of the facilities because affected licensee personnel are currently qualified, and the licensees proposed compensatory measures will enable their staff to maintain their knowledge, skills, and abilities without the conduct of the biennial emergency preparedness exercise during the exemption term.

The exemptions from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix B, General Criteria for Security Personnel, section VI., Nuclear Power Reactor Training and Qualification Plan for Personnel Performing Security Program Duties, for Union 3

Electric Company (for Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1); for Exelon Generation Company, LLC (for Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2); and Entergy Operations, Inc. (for Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1), afford these licensees temporary exemptions from certain requirements. The exemptions will help to ensure that these regulatory requirements do not unduly limit licensee flexibility in using personnel resources in a manner that most effectively manages the impacts of the COVID-19 PHE on maintaining the safe and secure operation of these facilities and the implementation of the licensees NRC-approved security plans, protective strategy, and implementing procedures. These licensees have committed to certain security measures to ensure response readiness and for their security personnel to maintain performance capability.

The NRC is providing compiled tables of exemptions using a single Federal Register notice for COVID-19-related exemptions instead of issuing individual Federal Register notices for each exemption. The compiled tables below provide transparency regarding the number and type of exemptions the NRC has issued. Additionally, the NRC publishes tables of approved regulatory actions related to the COVID-19 PHE on its public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/covid-19/reactors/licensing-actions.html.

II. Availability of Documents The tables below provide the facility name, docket number, document description, and ADAMS accession number for each exemption issued. Additional details on each exemption issued, including the exemption request submitted by the respective licensee and the NRCs decision, are provided in each exemption approval listed in the tables below. For additional directions on accessing information in ADAMS, see the ADDRESSES section of this document.

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Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-313 and 50-368 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 - Request for One-Time Exemption from 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, Biennial Emergency Preparedness ML20195A397 Evaluated Exercise Requirements due to COVID-19 Pandemic, dated July 13, 2020 Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 - Response to Request for Additional Information Related to Request from Certain Emergency Preparedness ML20255A117 and Planning Requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, dated September 1, 2020 Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 -

Enclosure:

Response to Request for Additional Information related to Exemption Request from certain ML20255A118 Emergency Preparedness Requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, dated September 1, 2020 Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2 - Temporary Exemption from Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise Frequency Requirements of 10 CFR part ML20265A057 50, appendix E, sections IV.F.2.b and IV.F.2.c (EPID L-2020-LLE-0113 [COVID-19]), dated October 6, 2020 Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1 Docket No. 50-483 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

Callaway Plant Unit 1 - Security Training Exemption Request due to COVID-19, dated September 3, ML20247J644 2020 Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1 - Additional Information non-public, withheld pursuant to Regarding Security Training Exemption Request 10 CFR 2.390 due to COVID-19, dated September 18, 2020 Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1 - Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix B, General Criteria for Security Personnel, section VI ML20268A189 (EPID L 2020 LLE 0140 [COVID-19]), dated October 20, 2020 5

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 -

Request for Exemption from Certain 10 CFR part 73 non-public, withheld pursuant to Training Requirements due to COVID-19 PHE, 10 CFR 2.390 dated September 8, 2020 Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 -

Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix B, General Criteria for Security ML20264E689 Personnel, section VI (EPID L-2020-LLE-0141

[COVID-19]), dated October 9, 2020 Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-315 and 50-316 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units Nos. 1 and 2 -

Request for a One-Time Exemption from 10 CFR ML20283A381 26.205(d) due to COVID-19 Pandemic, dated October 8, 2020 Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 -

Exemption from Select Requirements of 10 CFR ML20283A263 part 26 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0161) [COVID-19]),

dated October 9, 2020 Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1 Docket No. 50-416 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1 - Temporary Exemption Request from 10 CFR part 73, appendix non-public, withheld pursuant to B, section VI, Requirements for Force-on-Force 10 CFR 2.390 Exercises due to COVID-19 Pandemic, dated September 17, 2020 Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1 - Exemption From Certain Requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix B, General Criteria for Security ML20266G289 Personnel, section VI (EPID L-2020-LLE-0147

[COVID-19]), dated October 19, 2020 6

Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-266 and 50-301 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 -

Exemption to 10 CFR part 26, Work Hour Controls, ML20280A621 dated October 6, 2020 Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 -

Response to Request for Additional Information ML20282A706 Extension of Exemption from Certain 10 CFR part 26 Requirements, dated October 8, 2020 Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 -

Extension of Exemption from Specific Requirements ML20282A332 of 10 CFR part 26 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0159 [COVID-19]), dated October 15, 2020 South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499 Document Description ADAMS Accession No.

South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 - Exemption Request from 10 CFR part 50 appendix E, due to ML20224A211 COVID-19 Pandemic, dated August 11, 2020 South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 - Supplement to Exemption Request from 10 CFR part 50, appendix ML20254A217 E, due to COVID-19 Pandemic, dated September 10, 2020 South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2 - Temporary Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, Emergency Planning And ML20279A531 Preparedness For Production and Utilization Facilities, Sections IV.F.2.b AND IV.F.2.c (EPID L-2020-LLE-0133), dated October 26, 2020 Dated: November 20, 2020.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

/RA/

James G. Danna, Chief, Plant Licensing Branch I, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

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