ULNRC-06617, Request for Exemption from Specific Requirements of 10 CFR Part 26 Fitness for Duty Programs

Request for Exemption from Specific Requirements of 10 CFR Part 26 Fitness for Duty Programs

ML20310A333
Person / Time
Site:	Callaway
Issue date:	11/05/2020
From:	Bianco F Ameren Missouri, Union Electric Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
ULNRC-06617
Download: ML20310A333 (5)

Text

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WAmeren MISSOURI Callaway Plant November 05, 2020 ULNRC-06617 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 10 CFR26 Ladies and Gentlemen:

DOCKET NUMBER 50-483 AND 72-1045 CALLAWAY PLANT UNIT 1 UNION ELECTRIC CO.

RENEWED FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NPF-30 REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF 10 CFR PART 26l "FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS"

Reference:

NRC Letter from H. Nieh to NEI dated March 28, 2020, "U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Planned Actions Related to the Requirements for Work Hour Controls During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Public Health Emergency" As a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE), Union Electric Company (dba Ameren Missouri) has determined that Callaway Plant Unit 1 (Callaway) can no longer effectively meet the work-hour controls of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulation (10 CFR) Part 26, "Fitness for Duty Programs," Section 26.205(d) for the covered workers described below. By requesting approval for implementing the alternative work-hour controls, Callaway is taking steps to complete necessary security functions, maintenance activities, and inspections in a manner that supports both worker and neighboring community safety to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 26.9, "Specific exemptions," this request is being made to maintain the recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to social distancing, worker screening, and limiting close-proximity work. Leveraging the alternative work-hour controls will assist in facilitating further worker and community protection as Callaway continues the current refueling outage and proceeds into full power operation.

As the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Energy have stated in their guidance, the electric grid and nuclear plant operation make up the nation's critical infrastructure similar to the medical,

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ULNRC-06617 November 05, 2020 Page 2 of 5 food, communications, and other critical industries. The current Callaway refueling outage and progression into power operation must be conducted in a safe and timely fashion to support this critical infrastructure need.

In accordance with the NRC letter identified as the reference for this request, the following information is provided in the table below:

• Positions [as described in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(l) - (5)] for which either current work-hour controls will be maintained or for which alternative controls will be required as a preventive measure.

• The date and time for which alternative controls (if necessary) will be implemented for the listed positions.

Position Compliance Begin Implementation 26.4(a)(l) Operators Will phase in site-specific alternative work- Upon NRC Approval hour controls as defined in the referenced NRC letter, as necessary to minimize transition issues.

26.4(a)(2) Health Will phase in site-specific alternative work- Upon NRC Approval Physics and hour controls as defined in the referenced Chemistry NRC letter, as necessary to minimize transition issues.

26.4(a)(3) Fire Team Will phase in site-specific alternative work- Upon NRC Approval Advisor hour controls as defined in the referenced (operations NRC letter, as necessary to minimize fire brigade transition issues.

member) 26.4(a)(4) Maintenance Will phase in site-specific alternative work- Upon NRC Approval hour controls as defined in the referenced NRC letter, as necessary to minimize transition issues.

26.4(a)(5) Security Will phase in site-specific alternative work- Upon NRC Approval hour controls as defined in the referenced NRC letter, as necessary to minimize transition issues.

The Callaway site-specific COVID-19 PHE fatigue-management controls are consistent with the constraints outlined in the referenced NRC letter and its attachment.

Callaway will continue to follow the fatigue-management controls, behavioral observation requirements, and self-declaration allowances in accordance with the current work-hour control program and station Procedure APA-ZZ-00905, "Limitations of Callaway Plant Staff Working Hours."

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ULNRC-06617 November 05, 2020 Page 3 of 5 Upon NRC approval, Callaway will implement the alternative controls described below, consistent with the referenced NRC letter for the management of fatigue during the period of this exemption.

These controls ensure that covered workers are subjected to the following minimum controls:

(1) not more than 16 work-hours in any 24-hour period and not more than 86 work-hours in any 7-day period, excluding shift turnover; (2) a minimum 10-hour break is provided between successive work periods; (3) 12-hour shifts are limited to not more than 14 consecutive days; (4) a minimum of 6 days off are provided in any 30-day period; and (5) requirements are established for behavioral observation and self-declaration during the period of the exemption.

The requirements of 10 CFR 26.33, "Behavioral observation"; 10 CFR 26.209, "Self declarations"; and 10 CFR 26.211, "Fatigue assessments," remain in effect during the period of the exemption. These requirements provide reasonable assurance that should personnel become impaired due to fatigue, requirements and processes are in place to identify the impairment through observation by plant staff or by worker self-declaration, and to assess and address instances of impairment through fatigue assessments.

Upon NRC approval, Callaway will implement the alternative controls described in the referenced NRC letter for the management of fatigue during the initial period of 60 days. Near the end of the 60-day period, if COVID-19 conditions persist at the site, affecting staffing requirements and necessitating continued efforts to maintain CDC, state, and local recommendations related to social distancing, worker screening, and limiting close-proximity work, as well as requiring the need to give continued consideration to the COVID-19 challenge to adjacent communities, an additional request may be submitted to extend the 60-day implementation period exemption.

It should be noted that Callaway has not previously submitted an exemption request from specific requirements of Title 10 CFR Part 26, "Fitness for Duty Programs," Section 26.205, "Work hours."

Ameren Missouri respectfully requests NRC approval within 14 calendar days from the date of this letter in order to expedite implementation of the safety benefits of the alternative controls.

This letter does not contain new commitments.

If there are any questions, please contact Tom Elwood at 314-225-1905.

Senior Director, Nuclear Operations

ULNRC-06617 November 05, 2020 Page 4 of5 cc: Mr. Scott A. Morris Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV 1600 East Lamar Boulevard Arlington, TX 76011-4511 Senior Resident Inspector Callaway Resident Office U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 8201 NRC Road Steedman, MO 65077 Mr. M. Chawla Project Manager, Callaway Plant Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 08B1A Washington, DC 20555-0001

ULNRC-06617 November 05, 2020 Page 5 of 5 Index and send hardcopy to QA File Al60.0761 Hardcopy:

Certrec Corporation 6100 Western Place, Suite 1050 Fort Worth, TX 76107 (Certrec receives ALL attachments as long as they are non-safeguards and may be publicly disclosed.)

Electronic distribution for the following can be made via Responses and Reports ULNRC Distribution:

F. M. Diya B. L. Cox F. J. Bianco S. P. Banker M.A. Mclachlan R. C. Wink T. B. Elwood NSRB Secretary STARS Regulatory Affairs Mr. Jay Silberg (Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP)