[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75378-75380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26123]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or 
by email to [email protected].
     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 email at [email protected] 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, email: [email protected].

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 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 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 website at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/covid-19/reactors/licensing-actions.html.

[[Page 75379]]

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Document description                 ADAMS Accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2
                      Docket Nos. 50-313 and 50-368
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2--        ML20195A397.
 Request for One-Time Exemption from 10 CFR
 part 50, appendix E, Biennial Emergency
 Preparedness Evaluated Exercise
 Requirements due to COVID-19 Pandemic,
 dated July 13, 2020.
Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2--        ML20255A117.
 Response to Request for Additional
 Information Related to Request from
 Certain Emergency Preparedness and
 Planning Requirements of 10 CFR part 50,
 appendix E, dated September 1, 2020.
Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2--        ML20255A118.
 Enclosure: Response to Request for
 Additional Information related to
 Exemption Request from certain Emergency
 Preparedness Requirements of 10 CFR part
 50, appendix E, dated September 1, 2020.
Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2--        ML20265A057.
 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-0113 [COVID-19]), dated October
 6, 2020.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1
                            Docket No. 50-483
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Callaway Plant Unit 1--Security Training     ML20247J644.
 Exemption Request due to COVID-19, dated
 September 3, 2020.
Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1--Additional       non-public, withheld
 Information Regarding Security Training      pursuant to 10 CFR 2.390.
 Exemption Request due to COVID-19, dated
 September 18, 2020.
Callaway Plant, Unit No. 1--Exemption from   ML20268A189.
 Certain Requirements of 10 CFR part 73,
 appendix B, ``General Criteria for
 Security Personnel,'' section VI (EPID L
 2020 LLE 0140 [COVID-19]), dated October
 20, 2020.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2
                      Docket Nos. 50-317 and 50-318
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1  non-public, withheld
 and 2--Request for Exemption from Certain    pursuant to 10 CFR 2.390.
 10 CFR part 73 Training Requirements due
 to COVID-19 PHE, dated September 8, 2020.
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1  ML20264E689.
 and 2--Exemption from Certain Requirements
 of 10 CFR part 73, appendix B, ``General
 Criteria for Security 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units Nos. 1   ML20283A381.
 and 2--Request for a One-Time Exemption
 from 10 CFR 26.205(d) due to COVID-19
 Pandemic, dated October 8, 2020.
Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and    ML20283A263.
 2--Exemption from Select Requirements of
 10 CFR part 26 (EPID L-2020-LLE-0161)
 [COVID-19]), dated October 9, 2020.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1
                            Docket No. 50-416
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1--         non-public, withheld
 Temporary Exemption Request from 10 CFR      pursuant to 10 CFR 2.390.
 part 73, appendix B, section VI,
 Requirements for Force-on-Force Exercises
 due to COVID-19 Pandemic, dated September
 17, 2020.
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1--         ML20266G289.
 Exemption From Certain Requirements of 10
 CFR part 73, appendix B, ``General
 Criteria for Security Personnel,'' section
 VI (EPID L-2020-LLE-0147 [COVID-19]),
 dated October 19, 2020.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2
                      Docket Nos. 50-266 and 50-301
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2--   ML20280A621.
 Exemption to 10 CFR part 26, Work Hour
 Controls, dated October 6, 2020.
Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2--   ML20282A706.
 Response to Request for Additional
 Information Extension of Exemption from
 Certain 10 CFR part 26 Requirements, dated
 October 8, 2020.
Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2--   ML20282A332.
 Extension of Exemption from Specific
 Requirements 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2--         ML20224A211.
 Exemption Request from 10 CFR part 50
 appendix E, due to COVID-19 Pandemic,
 dated August 11, 2020.

[[Page 75380]]

 
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2--         ML20254A217.
 Supplement to Exemption Request from 10
 CFR part 50, appendix E, due to COVID-19
 Pandemic, dated September 10, 2020.
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2--         ML20279A531.
 Temporary Exemption from Certain
 Requirements of 10 CFR part 50, appendix
 E, Emergency Planning And 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.
James G. Danna,
Chief, Plant Licensing Branch I, Division of Operating Reactor 
Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020-26123 Filed 11-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P