The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is allowing nuclear power plants to request exemptions from some staffing requirements to help ensure continuity of operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A sudden and potentially long-term reduction in available facility staffing, such as that which may result due to the COVID-19 (public health emergency), was not considered during the rulemaking that established the 10 CFR 26.205(d) work hour controls,” the NRC said in a March 28 memo submitted to executives with the Nuclear Energy Institute, Entergy Nuclear, and Florida Power & Light. “Exemption from this requirement will provide licensees flexibility in management of personnel resources to maintain plant operational safety and security during a period when facility staffing may be reduced due to the COVID-19 (emergency).”
The document was posted to the agency’s website Monday. As of Monday, no nuclear power company had requested any staffing exemptions.
The requests for work-hour exemptions should ensure operators do not work more than 16 hours every 24 hours, and not more than 86 hours during a seven-day week. A minimum of a 10-hour break should take place between the expanded shifts. Twelve-hour shifts cannot be used for more than 14 consecutive days. There will be a minimum of six days off during a 30-day period.
Licensees should make the requests as soon as future COVID-19-related staffing problems become apparent and no less than 24 hours prior to a regulation-breaching shortage occurring, according to the memo.
Measures are to be taken to observe the behavior of the operators, and power plant personnel are to be able to put themselves in self-isolation, the memos said. An exemption period cannot last more than 60 days. However, licensees can request an extension prior to the end of 60-day period.
