[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 25, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53393-53396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20841]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-255; NRC-2025-1666]
Palisades Energy, LLC; Palisades Nuclear Plant; Exemption
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice; issuance.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued an
exemption in response to a request dated August 12, 2025, as
supplemented by letter dated October 15, 2025, from Palisades Energy,
LLC for the Palisades Nuclear Plant. The exemption authorizes the one-
time use of the less restrictive work hour limitations described in the
NRC's regulations for a 60-day period starting on November 3, 2025.
DATES: The exemption was issued on October 24, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2025-1666 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-2025-1666. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Bridget Curran;
telephone: 301-415-1003; email: [email protected]. For technical
questions, contact the individuals 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 ADAMS Public Search.''
For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room
(PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, at 301-415-4737, or by email
to [email protected]. The exemption request dated August 12, 2025,
is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML25224A206, as supplemented
by letter dated October 15, 2025 (ADAMS Accession No. ML25288A074).
NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlayna V. Doell, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3178; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The text of the exemption is attached.
Dated: November 20, 2025.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Marlayna Doell,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Attachment--Exemption
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Docket No. 50-255; Palisades Energy, LLC; Palisades Nuclear Plant;
Exemption
I. Background
Palisades Energy, LLC (Palisades, the licensee) is the holder of
Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-20, which authorizes
operation of the Palisades Nuclear Plant (Palisades). The license
provides, among other things, that the facility is subject to all
rules, regulations, and orders of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC, the Commission) now or hereafter in effect. The
facility consists of one pressurized-water reactor located in Van
Buren County in Michigan.
II. Request/Action
By letter dated August 12, 2025 (Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25224A206), as
supplemented by letter dated October 15, 2025 (ML25288A074), and
pursuant to 10 CFR 26.9, ``Specific exemptions,'' the licensee
requested a one-time exemption from the work hour requirements in
Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 26,
``Fitness for Duty Programs,'' paragraph 26.205(d), ``Work hour
controls'' Specifically, the licensee requested to use the work hour
requirements in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(4) and (d)(5) in lieu of the non-
outage work hour controls described in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) and
(d)(7) for a period of no more than 60 days for individuals
specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(5), starting on November
3, 2025, following the licensee's planned 60-day outage which
started on
[[Page 53394]]
August 25, 2025, and ends on October 23, 2025.
Section 26.205(d)(3) of 10 CFR, requires licensees to comply
with the requirements for individuals to have a minimum number of
days off per week depending on the duration of shift schedules,
averaged over the shift cycle, and the duties being performed.
Individuals working 8-hour shift schedules shall have at least 1 day
off per week, and individuals who are working 10-hour shift
schedules shall have at least 2 days off per week. Individuals
working 12-hour shift schedules while performing the duties
described in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(3) shall have at least
2.5 days off per week; individuals working 12-hour shift schedules
while performing duties described in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(4) shall have at
least 2 days off per week; and individuals working 12-hour shift
schedules while performing duties described in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(5)
shall have at least 3 days off per week. Section 26.205(d)(7) of 10
CFR, requires licensees to comply with the requirements for maximum
average work hours wherein individuals may not work more than a
weekly average of 54 hours, calculated using an averaging period of
up to 6 weeks, which advances by 7 consecutive calendar days at the
finish of every averaging period. The licensee seeks a one-time
exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) and (d)(7).
The requirements in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(4) provide that during the
first 60 days of a unit outage, licensees need not meet the
requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) or (d)(7) for individuals
specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(4), while those
individuals are working on outage activities. However, 10 CFR
26.205(d)(4) does require the licensee to ensure individuals
specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(3) have at least 3 days
off in each successive (i.e., non-rolling) 15-day period, and that
the individuals specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(4) have at least 1 day
off in any 7-day period. This is collectively known as the outage
minimum days off (MDO) requirement. The requirements in 10 CFR
26.205(d)(5) provide that during the first 60 days of a unit outage,
licensees need not meet the requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) or
(d)(7) for individuals specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(5). Additionally,
licensees shall ensure that individuals specified in 10 CFR
26.4(a)(5) have at least 4 days off in each successive (i.e., non-
rolling) 15-day period.
On July 24, 2025, the NRC issued a series of licensing and
regulatory actions approving the licensee's request to reauthorize
power operations at Palisades and return the plant to an operational
status, including the Power Operations Technical Specifications
(ML25157A127). In its August 12, 2025, submittal letter, the
licensee stated that it planned to implement the power operations
license, the final safety analysis report (FSAR), and the Power
Operations Technical Specifications on August 25, 2025. Further, the
licensee stated that on August 25, 2025, Palisades would transition
directly into an outage under the Power Operation Technical
Specifications to restore the plant for restart.
The licensee stated that the one-time exemption from the work
hour requirements in 10 CFR 26.205(d) is necessary for the flexible
management of personnel and work activities to ensure the full
restoration of safety-related equipment and completion of outage
activities in support of plant restart at Palisades. To support the
extended use of outage work hour controls for the initial 60-day
outage followed by the initially proposed 49-day exemption period,
the licensee proposed additional mitigating actions discussed in
Section V of the Enclosure to the August 12, 2025, submittal letter.
In the letter dated October 15, 2025, the licensee submitted a
supplement to the proposed request for exemption. In the supplement,
the licensee requested to increase the previously requested 49-day
exemption period for use of the less restrictive work hour
limitations to a 60-day exemption period to support the restart
activities for Palisades. The licensee stated that it plans to use
the additional time under the less restrictive work hour limitations
to allow more flexibility for scheduling of covered work tasks and
individual work hours to better manage cumulative fatigue. In
addition, the licensee stated that the start date of the proposed
exemption period of 60 days is being changed from October 24, 2025,
to November 3, 2025.
III. Discussion
Pursuant to 10 CFR 26.9, the Commission may, upon application by
any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant exemptions
from the requirements of 10 CFR part 26 when the exemptions are
authorized by law and will not endanger life or property or the
common defense and security; and are otherwise in the public
interest.
A. The Exemption Is Authorized by Law
The proposed exemption would authorize a one-time exemption from
the requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) and (d)(7) to allow the use
of the less restrictive work hour controls in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(4)
and (d)(5) for up to an additional 60 days, starting on November 3,
2025, to allow the completion of the plant restart activities
without violating NRC regulations. As stated, 10 CFR 26.9 allows the
NRC to grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 26. The
NRC staff has determined that granting the proposed exemption will
not result in a violation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended, other laws, or the Commission's regulations. Therefore, the
exemption is authorized by law.
B. The Exemption Will Not Endanger Life or Property
The purpose of subpart I, ``Managing Fatigue,'' of 10 CFR part
26 is to ensure that worker fatigue does not compromise the
abilities of individuals to perform their duties safely and
competently. The purpose of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(4) and (d)(5) is to
provide licensees flexibility for a limited period in scheduling
required days off while accommodating more intense work schedules
associated with a unit outage.
During the proposed exemption period, personnel as described in
10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(5) would be permitted to work in
accordance with the outage MDO requirements in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(4)
and (d)(5) for a 60-day period. In its August 12, 2025, submittal,
the licensee proposed two mitigating actions for the exemption
period. The first proposed mitigating action is an adequate rest
interval; the licensee states that during the exemption period,
individuals will have, at a minimum, the rest breaks specified in 10
CFR 26.205(d)(2). The second proposed mitigating action is
assessment for fatigue; the licensee states that the cognizant
supervisors will assess each assigned supervised employee for
fatigue and mental alertness during the period with less restrictive
work hour limitations.
The NRC staff evaluated the proposed mitigating actions and
concluded that they were not sufficient to prevent or mitigate
cumulative fatigue for those individuals specified in 10 CFR
26.4(a)(1) through (a)(5) during the exemption period for extended
use of outage work hour controls. By letter dated October 3, 2025
(ML25280A014), the NRC staff issued a request for confirmatory
information (RCI) and a request for additional information (RAI) to
request that the licensee provide an explanation of how the current
actions will mitigate cumulative fatigue and what other actions will
be taken to address fatigue during the 60-day outage period and the
exemption period combined for a total period exceeding 100 days of
less restrictive work hour limitations.
In its October 15, 2025, supplement, the licensee submitted
responses to the RCIs and RAIs confirming that the staff's
understanding was accurate in response to the RCIs. In response to
the RAI, the licensee stated that no waivers for hours in excess of
the outage work hour limits have been required for covered workers.
The licensee also completed an audit of the work hours for the
affected groups from the beginning of the initial 60-day outage to
the end of the outage period. The licensee found that personnel
completing duties that fall under Operations (a)(1) and Fire Brigade
(a)(3) maintained a schedule pursuant to the non-outage work hour
controls until the transition to outage work hour controls.
Individuals completing duties that fall under Health Physics (a)(2)
and Maintenance (a)(4) maintained a schedule pursuant to 10 CFR
26.205(d)(4) and average fewer than the maximum allowable 72 hours
per week. Furthermore, the licensee submitted a commitment in the
enclosure to the supplement that states that the licensee will
ensure individuals performing duties under 10 CFR 26.4(a)(2) and
(a)(4) work no more than 50 hours per week averaged over a 2-week
period, between October 20, 2025, and November 2, 2025, prior the
start date of the proposed exemption to ensure an adequate rest and
reset period between the end of the outage period and start of the
exemption period for the affected groups.
Palisades has been shutdown and in a decommissioning state since
2022. The NRC staff notes that there are no fatigue management
requirements for licensees in decommissioning. However, because the
licensee is planning to restart the plant, the NRC staff submitted
an RAI asking the licensee to describe the 30-day period prior to
the start of the outage in order to understand the state of work
hour controls in place for plant personnel before entering the
[[Page 53395]]
outage on August 25, 2025. In response to the RAI, the licensee
stated that the following work hour controls were applied at
Palisades for the 30-day period before August 25, 2025: controls
equivalent to 10 CFR 26.205(d)(1) and 10 CFR 26.205(d)(2)(i); and
not to exceed 13 consecutive days of work.
The NRC staff evaluated the work schedules in conjunction with
the information provided in the supplement and the RAI response.
Personnel performing duties identified by 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) and
(a)(3) have complied with the non-outage work hour controls
specified in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(7) prior the outage and will continue
to comply until the start of the proposed exemption period. Because
these personnel have worked a normal schedule, in accordance with 10
CFR 26.205(d)(7), leading up to the proposed exemption period, the
NRC staff determined that administering the minimum days off during
the 60-day exemption period in conjunction with the rest breaks in
10 CFR 26.205(d)(2) will allow Palisades to adequately manage
cumulative fatigue for these personnel.
Personnel performing duties identified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(5) have
worked 12-hour shifts over a 6-week rotational schedule. However,
these personnel have received at least 4 days off in each successive
(i.e., non-rolling) 15-day period. In addition, for the 30 days
prior to the initial 60-day outage, these personnel have worked a
schedule equivalent to the work hour requirements in 10 CFR
26.205(d)(1) and 10 CFR 26.205(d)(2)(i). Furthermore, the licensee
stated in the RAI response that this group averaged less than 54
hours per week for the 30 days prior the initial outage. Because
these personnel have worked a normal schedule prior to the outage
and have received 4 days off in each non-rolling period leading up
to the end of the outage, the NRC staff determined that
administering the minimum days off during the 60-day exemption
period in conjunction with the rest breaks in 10 CFR 26.205(d)(2)
will allow Palisades to adequately manage cumulative fatigue for
these personnel.
Based on the information provided by the licensee, individuals
performing duties under 10 CFR 26.4(a)(2) and (a)(4) have worked a
higher than average number of weekly work hours compared to other
personnel during the initial outage period from August 25, 2025,
through October 23, 2025. Under 10 CFR 26.4(a)(2), personnel perform
duties related to Chemistry and Health Physics. Personnel performing
duties related to Chemistry have worked 8 and 9-hour shifts for 5
days followed by 2 consecutive days off during the initial outage
period. Some individuals have worked 12-hour shifts for 4
consecutive days followed by 3 days off. Personnel performing duties
related to Health Physics have worked 12-hour shifts for 4
consecutive days followed by 1 day off. Management has also provided
additional days off where practicable to support fatigue management
for this group.
According to the licensee's RAI response, several different
positions perform duties under 10 CFR 26.4(a)(4). Seven of twelve
positions in the table, titled ``Fatigue Management--Group 10 CFR
26.4(a)(4)'' in response to RAI 1.d, have worked 10-hour shifts on 5
consecutive days followed by 2 consecutive days off during the
initial outage period. Three of the twelve positions have worked 12-
hour shifts for 4 consecutive days followed by 3 consecutive days
off. Two of the positions have worked 12-hour shifts for 6
consecutive days followed by 1 day off. However, the licensee has
provided a commitment to provide additional mitigating actions to
personnel performing duties in both 10 CFR 26.4(a)(2) and (a)(4).
Per the Enclosure to the RAI response, these individuals will work a
maximum of 50 hours for the two weeks prior the proposed exemption
period commencing on November 3, 2025. Based on the work schedules
provided in the RAI response and the 50-hour limitation over a two
week period prior to the proposed exemption period, personnel
covered by 10 CFR 26.4(a)(2) and (a)(4) will receive an adequate
rest interval of 16.9 hours per day, which is greater than the
minimum 10-hour break between successive work periods and which
provides an ample opportunity for personnel to receive a 34-hour
break in every nine day period.
The NRC staff determined that the proposed mitigating actions,
including the MDO requirements and supervisory fatigue assessments,
in combination with a two-week rest period for individuals in those
groups who have a higher than the maximum average work hours
(personnel performing duties in both 10 CFR 26.4(a)(2) and (a)(4)),
will allow the licensee to adequately manage cumulative fatigue
during the requested 60-day exemption period. Acute fatigue will be
managed using the outage MDO requirements combined with fatigue
assessments by supervisors, which is consistent with common practice
during unit outages. The NRC staff determined that the proposed
mitigating actions will adequately manage acute and cumulative
fatigue. Therefore, the exemption will not endanger life or
property.
C. The Exemption Will Not Endanger the Common Defense and Security
The proposed exemption would authorize a one-time exemption from
the requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) and (d)(7) to allow the use
of the less restrictive work hour controls described in 10 CFR
26.205(d)(4) and (d)(5) for up to an additional 60-days. The
proposed exemption is applicable to security personnel who will
have, at minimum, 4 days off in each successive (i.e., non-rolling)
15-day period in combination with the minimum rest breaks in 10 CFR
26.205(d)(2) during the exemption period.
One additional factor that the licensee included in the October
15, 2025, supplement and response to the RCIs and RAIs is that
security personnel will undergo mandated Force-on-Force exercises as
required by 10 CFR part 73, Appendix B, ``General Criteria for
Security Personnel'', Section II, ``Training and Qualifications.''
While the exercises are not NRC-evaluated, the licensee stated that
these exercises are mandated security training and will require
security personnel to work overtime shifts due to staffing
limitations. In the licensee's response to the RAI, it was stated
that the individuals performing security duties that fall under 10
CFR 26.4(a)(5) maintained a schedule pursuant to 10 CFR 26.205(d)(4)
and averaged under 54 hours per week during the 60 days leading up
to the proposed exemption period. During the two-week period between
the end of the initial outage and the start of the proposed
exemption period, the licensee stated that security personnel will
maintain an average of 49.26 hours per week. In addition, security
personnel will continue to receive the breaks described in 10 CFR
26.205(d)(2)(ii).
The NRC staff observed that meeting the break requirement in 10
CFR 26.205(d)(2)(ii) alone is not sufficient to effectively manage
cumulative fatigue, as this provision is meant to be applied in
conjunction with the other work hour control measures outlined in 10
CFR 26.205. However, the NRC staff considered the 34-hour break
period in conjunction with the fact that, leading up to the 60-day
exemption period, security personnel will have worked below the
maximum average of 54 hours per week. In addition, prior to the
initial 60-day outage period, security personnel will have worked at
or below 54 hours per week. Because security personnel will have
worked at or below the maximum average prior to the initial outage
and will work, on average, 4.74 hours less than the maximum average
prior to the proposed exemption period, there is added assurance
that the licensee can adequately manage cumulative fatigue by
ensuring personnel receive the minimum 34-hour break period prior to
the proposed 60-day exemption period. The NRC staff determined that
these mitigating actions in conjunction with the reduction in hours
worked will prevent cumulative fatigue during the period of the
exemption. Therefore, the exemption will not endanger the common
defense and security.
D. The Exemption Is Otherwise in the Public Interest
The proposed exemption would authorize a one-time exemption from
the requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) and (d)(7) to allow the use
of the less restrictive work hour controls described in 10 CFR
26.205(d)(4) and (d)(5) for up to an additional 60 days. In
considering whether the requested exemptions would be in the public
interest, the NRC staff considered several factors, including:
the nature of the licensee's unique situation
transitioning from decommissioning back to a power operations
licensing basis, which requires restoration of safety-related
equipment, among other plant restart activities; and
the public health and safety interests of the
communities that are impacted by the safe restart of the plant.
The NRC staff considered the fact that Palisades was in
decommissioning status, but the licensee has determined to restart
the plant. Palisades has been shut down since May 2022, after which,
in 2023, the owner at that time, Holtec Decommissioning
International, determined that they planned to pursue plans to
restart. This unique situation has required restart-related
inspections and repair activities during the outage to ensure the
plant will be safe prior to restarting. The NRC staff also
considered
[[Page 53396]]
the licensee's efforts to restart the plant utilizing both the 60-
day outage period in combination with the proposed 60-day exemption
period to meet their proposed sync to grid date.
The NRC staff considered the balance of public interest
considerations, including the potential impacts of not granting the
exemption, which could result in the delay of restarting the
Palisades Nuclear Plant and could potentially delay the amount of
energy available to the surrounding area. The NRC staff also
considered the potential impacts resulting from an increase in
overall cumulative fatigue due to personnel working longer work
hours for an additional 60-day period directly following the
expiration of the initial 60-day outage. Furthermore, the licensee
has provided adequate mitigating actions through a combination of
the MDO requirements, supervisory fatigue assessments, and a two-
week rest period for groups of personnel with the highest maximum
average work hours. The licensee will have adequately managed
fatigue for personnel identified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(5)
prior to and during the exemption period. Based on these
considerations, the NRC staff concluded that there are no
expectations for a significant impact on public health and safety as
a result of the increase in cumulative fatigue for the 60-day
exemption period. Therefore, the NRC staff finds that approval of
the requested exemptions is otherwise in the public interest.
E. Environmental Considerations
The Commission has determined that granting the proposed one-
time exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3) and
(d)(7) involves (1) no significant hazards consideration, (2) no
significant change in the types or significant increase in the
amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite, (3) no
significant increase in individual or cumulative public or
occupational radiation exposure, (4) no significant construction
impact, and (5) no significant increase in the potential for or
consequences from radiological accidents.
(1) Under 10 CFR 50.92(c), there is no significant hazards
consideration if the action does not (1) involve a significant
increase in the probability or consequences of an accident
previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new of
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated;
or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
The proposed exemption is administrative in nature because it
provides an additional period when less restrictive hours can be
worked for personnel identified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through (a)(5).
The proposed exemption has no effect on systems, structures, and
components (SSCs) and no effect on the capability of the SSCs to
perform their design function. The proposed exemption does not make
any changes to the facility or operating procedures and does not
alter the design, function, or operation of any plant equipment.
Therefore, the exemption does not increase the probability or
consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
The proposed exemption does not make any changes to the facility
or operating procedures and does not alter the design, function, or
operation of any plant equipment. Similarly, the proposed exemption
does not authorize any physical changes to any SSCs involved in the
mitigation of any accidents. Therefore, the exemption does not
create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from
any accident previously evaluated.
The proposed exemption does not authorize alteration of the
design basis or any safety limits for the plant. The exemption would
not impact station operation or any SSC that is relied upon for
accident mitigation. Therefore, the exemption does not involve a
significant reduction in a margin of safety.
For these reasons, the NRC has determined that approval of the
exemption requested involves no significant hazards consideration.
(2) The proposed exemption does not authorize any changes to the
design basis requirements for the SSCs at Palisades that function to
limit the release of non-radiological effluents, radiological liquid
effluents, or radiological gaseous effluents during and following
postulated accidents. Additionally, the exemption does not change
any requirements with respect to the conduct of radiation surveys
and monitoring. Therefore, there is no significant change in the
types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that
may be released offsite.
(3) The proposed exemption does not affect the limits on the
release of any radioactive material or the limits provided in 10 CFR
part 20, ``Standards for Protection Against Radiation,'' for
radiation exposure to workers or members of the public.
Additionally, the exemption will not increase or decrease the amount
of work activities that must be completed in order to connect the
reactor unit to the electrical grid. Therefore, there is no
significant increase in individual or cumulative public or
occupational radiation exposure.
(4) The proposed exemption does not involve any changes to a
construction permit; Therefore, there is no significant construction
impact.
(5) The proposed exemption does not alter any of the assumptions
or limits in the licensee's accident analyses. Therefore, there is
no significant increase in the potential for or consequences from
radiological accidents.
In addition, the requirements from which the exemption are
sought involve other requirements of an administrative, managerial,
or organizational nature. Accordingly, the exemption meets the
eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR
51.22(c)(25)(vi)(I). Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(b),
no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need
be prepared in connection with the NRC's consideration of the
exemption request.
IV. Conclusions
Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10
CFR 26.9, the exemption is authorized by law, will not endanger life
or property or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in
the public interest. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants
Palisades Energy, LLC a one-time exemption from 10 CFR 26.205(d)(3)
and (d)(7) for personnel identified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(1) through
(a)(5) to allow the use of the outage MDO requirements described in
10 CFR 26.205(d)(4) and (d)(5) for a 60-day period starting on
November 3, 2025. While the exemption is in effect, Palisades
Energy, LLC will ensure that individuals specified in 10 CFR
26.4(a)(1) through (a)(3) have at least 3 days off in each
successive (i.e., non-rolling) 15-day period; that individuals
specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(4) have at least 1 day off in any 7-day
period; and that individuals specified in 10 CFR 26.4(a)(5) have at
least 4 days off in each successive (i.e., non-rolling) 15-day
period. Additionally, Palisades Energy, LLC will use the outage MDO
requirements, proposed mitigating actions, and the two-week rest
period between the end of the initial outage and start of the
exemption period to adequately manage acute and cumulative fatigue
for covered personnel during the exemption period. If Palisades
Nuclear Plant is connected to the electrical grid prior to the end
of the approved 60-day exemption period, the supporting bases for
this exemption are no longer met. Accordingly, the exemption shall
end either at the end of the approved 60-day period or at the time
when the Palisades Nuclear Plant is connected to the electrical
grid, whichever occurs first.
Dated: October 24, 2025
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
/RA/
Aida Rivera-Varona,
Acting Director, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2025-20841 Filed 11-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P