Nuclear plants receive six waivers from ordinary rules, quietly
Published Date: 10/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave six special permissions to four nuclear plant operators between July and September 2026. These exemptions let the operators do things a bit differently than usual rules say, helping them run smoother without extra costs or delays. If you’re involved with these plants, keep an eye on these changes—they’re official and already in effect!
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Use of Decommissioning Trust Earnings Allowed
On July 10, 2026, the NRC granted Constellation Energy an exemption allowing specified plants to use Decommissioning Trust Fund earnings for certain decommissioning activities by exempting provisions of 10 CFR 50.82(a)(8)(i), 50.82(a)(8)(ii), 50.75(h)(1)(iv), and 50.75(h)(2). This is an official permission for those licensees to apply trust fund earnings to certain decommissioning work.
Waiver of Some Environmental Reporting Rules
On July 10, 2026, the NRC granted the Tennessee Valley Authority (Watts Bar Units 1 and 2) an exemption from 10 CFR 54.23 (contents of application—environmental information) and 10 CFR 51.53(c) (postconstruction environmental reports—operating license renewal stage). The exemption relieves TVA of those specific regulatory reporting requirements for the stated licensing activity.
Exemption from Work-Hours Fitness-for-Duty Rule
On July 17, 2026, the NRC granted the Tennessee Valley Authority an exemption for Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Unit 1 from 10 CFR 26.205, the regulation covering Fitness for Duty Programs—Work Hours. This authorizes Sequoyah Unit 1 to operate under terms that differ from that specific work-hours requirement.
Exemptions from Inservice Requirements for Multiple Units
On August 10, 2026, the NRC granted Entergy Operations exemptions for Arkansas Nuclear One (Units 1 and 2), Grand Gulf, River Bend, and Waterford from specific requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(g)(4)(ii) and 10 CFR 50.55a(y). The exemptions allow those named plants to deviate from the cited regulatory provisions.
Exemption for License Renewal Submission Timing
On August 24, 2026, the NRC granted Entergy Operations an exemption for Arkansas Nuclear One, Units 1 and 2, from 10 CFR 2.109(b) related to the submission of a subsequent license renewal application. This changes how those units must comply with that submission requirement.
Approval to Use Optimized ZIRLO Fuel Cladding
On August 25, 2026, the NRC granted Vistra Operations Company an exemption from 10 CFR 50.46 to allow Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 to use Optimized ZIRLO™ fuel rod cladding material. The exemption authorizes use of that specific cladding material under an exemption to the cited regulation.
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