[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 201 (Friday, October 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65880-65882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22970]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-454, 50-455, 50-298, 50-275, 50-323, 50-237, 50-249, 
50-341, 50-166, 50-277, 50-278, 50-440, 50-280, 50-281, 50-387, 50-388; 
NRC-2020-0110]


Issuance of Multiple Exemptions in Response to COVID-19 Public 
Health Emergency

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemptions; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued 10 
exemptions in response to requests from 8 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 September 3, 2020, to September 28, 2020, 
the NRC granted ten exemptions in response to requests submitted by 
licensees from June 16, 2020, to September 14, 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 Website: 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; email: [email protected]. For technical 
questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this document.
     NRC's 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 NRC's Public 
Document Room reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by 
email to [email protected].
    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, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    During the period from September 3, 2020, to September 28, 2020, 
the NRC granted 10 exemptions in response to requests submitted by 
licensees from June 16, 2020, to September 14, 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 Ch. I).
    The exemptions from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 26, 
``Fitness for Duty Programs,'' for Exelon Generation Company, LLC (for 
Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 
2 and 3; and Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3), afford 
the licensee 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, the licensee stated that its staffing levels are affected 
or are expected to be affected by the COVID-19 PHE, and it can no 
longer meet or likely will not meet the work-hour controls of 10 CFR 
26.205(d)(1) through (d)(7). The licensee has 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 Energy 
Harbor Nuclear Corp. (for Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1); 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power 
Plant, Units 1 and 2); and Nebraska Public Power District (for Cooper 
Nuclear Station) to grant temporary exemptions from the biennial 
emergency preparedness (EP) 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 exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 55, 
``Operators' Licenses,'' for University of Maryland (for Maryland 
University Training Reactor) affords the licensee a temporary exemption 
from requirements related to completion of biennial medical 
examinations of licensing operators and senior operators (under 10 CFR 
55.21 and 10 CFR 55.53(i)). This licensee has committed to compensatory 
measures to address the delay in receipt of recommendations from a 
licensed physician concerning its licensed operator's health.
    The exemptions from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 73 for DTE 
Electric Company (for Fermi-2), Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC (for 
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2), and Virginia 
Electric and Power Company (for Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 
2), afford these licensees temporary exemptions from certain 
requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix B, ``General Criteria for 
Security Personnel,'' section VI. The exemptions will help to ensure 
that these regulatory requirements do not unduly limit licensee 
flexibility in using

[[Page 65881]]

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 website 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 NRC's 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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            Document description                 ADAMS Accession No.
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                    Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2
                      Docket Nos. 50-454 and 50-455
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Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2--COVID-19   ML20248H361.
 related request for exemption from 10 CFR
 part 26 work hours requirements, dated
 September 3, 2020.
Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2--exemption  ML20253A062.
 from select requirements of 10 CFR part 26
 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0139 [COVID-19]), dated
 September 16, 2020.
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                         Cooper Nuclear Station
                            Docket No. 50-298
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Cooper Nuclear Station--temporary exemption  ML20191A276.
 request from 10 CFR part 50, appendix E,
 biennial emergency preparedness exercise
 requirements due to COVID-19 pandemic,
 dated June 16, 2020.
Cooper Nuclear Station--exemption from       ML20203M129.
 biennial emergency preparedness exercise
 requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix
 E, ``Emergency Planning and Preparedness
 for Production and Utilization
 Facilities,'' section IV.F (EPID L-2020-
 LLE-0102 [COVID-19]), dated September 3,
 2020.
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            Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2
                      Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323
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Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1   ML20191A204.
 and 2--temporary exemption request from 10
 CFR part 50, appendix E, biennial
 emergency preparedness exercise
 requirements due to COVID-19 pandemic,
 dated July 9, 2020.
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1   ML20247J651.
 and 2--temporary exemption from biennial
 emergency preparedness exercise frequency
 requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix
 E, sections IV.F.2.b and IV.F.2.c (EPID L-
 2020-LLE-0111 [COVID-19], dated September
 18, 2020.
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              Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3
                      Docket Nos. 50-237 and 50-249
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Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and   ML20259A116.
 3--COVID-19 related request for exemption
 from 10 CFR part 26 work hours
 requirements, dated September 14, 2020.
Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and   ML20259A492.
 3--exemption from select requirements of
 10 CFR part 26 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0143
 [COVID-19]), dated September 28, 2020.
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                                 Fermi-2
                            Docket No. 50-341
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Fermi-2--request for exemption from the      non-public, withheld
 annual force-on-force training               pursuant to 10 CFR 2.390.
 requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix
 B, section VI, due to the COVID-19 PHE,
 dated August 6, 2020.
Fermi-2--temporary exemption from the        ML20226A116.
 annual force-on-force training
 requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix
 B, ``General Criteria for Security
 Personnel,'' section VI (EPID L-2020-LLE-
 0128) [COVID-19], dated September 10, 2020.
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                  Maryland University Training Reactor
                            Docket No. 50-166
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Maryland University Training Reactor (R-     ML20241A176.
 070)--request for exemption from the
 medical examination requirements of 10 CFR
 55.21 and 10 CFR 55.53(i) for a reactor
 operator--REDACTED, dated August 24, 2020.
Maryland University Training Reactor (R-     ML20247J390.
 070)--additional information regarding the
 request for exemption from the medical
 examination requirements of 10 CFR 55.21
 and 10 CFR 55.53(i) for a reactor operator
 submitted on August 24, 2020, dated
 September 2, 2020.
University of Maryland--approval of          ML20241A179.
 exemption from select requirements of 10
 CFR part 55, ``Operators' Licenses,''
 dated September 15, 2020.
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[[Page 65882]]

 
            Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3
                      Docket Nos. 50-277 and 50-278
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Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2   ML20241A078.
 and 3--COVID-19 related request for
 exemption from 10 CFR part 26 work hours
 requirements, dated August 28, 2020.
Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2   ML20247J620.
 and 3--exemption from select requirements
 of 10 CFR part 26 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0138),
 dated September 10, 2020.
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                  Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1
                            Docket No. 50-440
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Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1--      ML20216A258.
 request for one-time exemption from 10 CFR
 part 50, appendix E, biennial emergency
 preparedness exercise requirements due to
 COVID-19 pandemic, dated August 3, 2020.
Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1--one-  ML20246G054.
 time exemption from biennial emergency
 preparedness exercise requirements of 10
 CFR part 50, appendix E, ``Emergency
 Planning and Preparedness for Production
 and Utilization Facilities,'' section IV.F
 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0125 [COVID 19]), dated
 September 11, 2020.
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                 Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2
                      Docket Nos. 50-280 and 50-281
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Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2--     non-public, withheld
 request for exemption from select            pursuant to 10 CFR 2.390.
 requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix
 B, section VI, dated August 20, 2020.
Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2--     ML20241A000.
 temporary exemption from certain
 requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix
 B, ``General Criteria for Security
 Personnel,'' section VI (EPID L-2020-LLE-
 0137 [COVID-19]), dated September 16, 2020.
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            Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2
                      Docket No. 50-387 and 50-388
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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1  non-public, withheld
 and 2--request for exemption from 10 CFR     pursuant to 10 CFR 2.390.
 part 73, appendix B, section VI, during
 the COVID-19 PHE, dated August 18, 2020.
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1  ML20232C272.
 and 2--exemption request from certain
 requirements of 10 CFR part 73, appendix
 B, ``General Criteria for Security
 Personnel'' (EPID L-2020-LLE-0094 [COVID-
 19]), dated September 22, 2020.
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    Dated: October 13, 2020.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James G. Danna,
Chief, Plant Licensing Branch I, Division of Operating Reactor 
Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020-22970 Filed 10-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P