ML19225C826
| ML19225C826 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 06/14/1979 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Koski G AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19225C827 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7908020550 | |
| Download: ML19225C826 (5) | |
Text
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 3' *.. -
JUN 141979 Docket No. 50-271 fir. George Koski 417 Cler..< ns Avenue l'adison, Wisconsin 53704 Lear Mr. Koski:
This is in reference to your letter to the Chaiman of the Commission dated May 15, 1979, in which you requested that the Vemont Yankee fluclear Power Station be ordered to shutdown until the present labor dispute is resolved.
Your letter was referred to my office for direct response to you.
Your request was apparently based on your belief that people operating Vemont Yarkee are not qualified.
This definitely is not the case, but if it were the case a shutdown would be required.
For your infomation, Vemont Yankee, and all other nuclear power plants, have requirenents in their license which specify the number of qua:ified personnel required for reactor operation to continue.
When these requirements are not net the plant nust be shutdown.
At Vemont Yankee there are presently 18 licensed senior reactor operators (SR0s) staffing the Vemont Yankee plant.
The nomal ninimum staffing of licensed operators required by the Vemont Yankee license is eight reactor operators (R0s) and four SR0s (to cover all shifts).
The SRUs exceed all requirements for the R0s.
I have enclosed a description of the training and qualification of nuclear power plant personnel which may be helpful to you.
Because of the strike, the f;RC Principal Inspector for Vemont Yankee visited the plant May 15 through May 17.
He has concluded that all necessary support functions for the continued operation of Vemont Yankee are satisfactorily staffed, and that the present staffing is sufficient to preclude personnel f rom working unduly long hours.
The Principal Inspector and two other Inspectors visited the plant again flay 21 through May 25 and, among other things, reconfimed the continued adequacy of plant staffing during the strike.
Monthly inspection visits are planned for the duration of the strike which will verify the continued adequacy of plant staffing.
At the conciusion of the labor dispute, we will also assure that eroloyees returning to work are requalified as necessary to meet NRC ninirur staffing re ;uirements.
I believe that the above infornation should relieve ycur corcerrs about the safe operation of the Vemont Yankee plant during the strike.
Nevertheless vou nay, if you choose, follow a nore fomal course of ecticn tc petition that 435 007 y ooo2ogfo o
11r. George Koski this p' ant not be allowed to continue to operate.
I have enclosed a copy of the applicable regulations (10 CFR 2.206) for your guidance if you should choose to pursue this natter.
Si ncerely,
r
'I Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Huclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
1.
Training and Qualification of Nuclear Power Plant Personnel 2.
10 CFR 2.206 US ogg TRAIN:NG AND OUALIFICATION OF NUCLEAR PCWER PLANT PERSONNEL Recognizing the need for trained, capable, and experienced operating personnel for nuclear power plants, the NRC has issued regulations requiring that applicants for operating licenses submit information concerning their organizational structure and operating personnel qualifications.
This infomation is reviewed in detail by the NR and must be found acceptable prior to issuance of an operating license.
To provide guidancs to applicants on this matter, the NRC has endorsed in Regulatory Guide 1.8, " Personnel Selection and Training", the criteria for the selection and training of nuclear power plant personn :1 ' contained in ANSI /ANS-3.1-1978, " Selection and Training of Nuclear Power Plant Personnel".
This ANSI standard is one of many such standards published by the American National Standards Institute.
The standard establishes the minimum qualifications and training for all functional levels of the operating organization, including managers, supervisors, professional-technical, and operators-technicians-repairmen.
It describes required experience, academic training, and the NRC operator 1icense requirements for all functional levels of operating personnel.
These requirements are designed to provide assu. 1ce that the nuclear power plant operating personnel: (1) will be capable of safely and efficiently operating the facility; (2) will understand the complexities of the plant design; (3) will be capable of properly me ipulating the plant controls; and (4) will maint<in and repair the plant equipment in an acceptable manner.
Before any operating personnel can manipulate thf controls of any operating nuclear power plant, they must obta'r, an operator's license from the NRC which authorizes them to operate that specific plant.
An indivicual who will direct the activities of licensed operators must obtain a senior operator's license.
The requirements for obtaining an operator's or senior operator's license are contained in 10 CFR Part 55,
" Operator's Licenses".
Section 55.11 of Part 55 states in part that an applicant fer a license will be approved if the NRC finds that the individual is in good health and has passed a written examination and an caerating test to determine that he or she has learned to operate a specific nuclear power plant.
The scope of the operator and senior operator written examinations is described in Sections 55.21 and 55.22, respectively, of 10 CFR Part 55 and covers 21 different aspects of reactor operation, including:
(1) fundamentals of reactor theory; (2) ceneral design features; (3) general operating characteristics; (4, conditions and limitations in the facility license; and (5) fuel handling facilities.
While this list is not complete, it does indicate that the operating personnel are recuired to demonstrate a broad, in-depth knowledge of all as;ects of an opera ting nuclear poner plant.
Additionally, candidates for ocerator's and senior operatcr's licenses are given an ocerating test wnich recuires that they demonstrate an understanding
>f 12 separate mat'.ers, including: (1) the required manipulation of the console controis; (2) the use an:: function of the facility's radiaticn monitoring systems; and (3) the e e cency lans for the facility.
Additional information concerning the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, including' sample written examination questions and a description of the scope of the operating tests administered to applicants, can be found in NUREG-0094, "NRC Operator 1.icensing Guide." This dccument is avtilable from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
In sum ary, the operating personnel of nucleac power plants are carefully selected, thoroughly trained in a broad range of nuclear power plant operations and vigorously tested by the NRC to determine that ney can safely and competently operate the facility for which they are licensed.
Folloviing licensing, the operating personnel participate in an N;.C-approved recualification program which includes, among other requirements, annual written and orai evaluations.
435 0l0
$ 2.206 Requests for action under this sub-part (a) Any person may file a request for the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regu-lation, Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Director.
Office of Inspection and Enforcement, as appropriate, to institute a proceed-ing pursuant to { 2.202 to modify, sus-pend or revoke a license, or for such other action as may be proper. Such a request shall be addressed to the Di-rector of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. Director, Office of In-spection and Enforcement, as appro-priate, and shall be filed either (1) by delivery to the Public Document Room at 1717 H Street NW., Washing-ton, D.C., or (2) by mall or telegram addressed to the Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulat!on, Director of Nucle-at Materm! Sfety and Safeguards, Dl-rector, Office of Inspection and En-forcement, as appropriate, U.S. Nucle-ar Regulatory Commission, Washing-ton, D.C. 20555. The requests shall specify the action requested and set forth the facts that constitute the basis for the request.
(b) Within a reasonable time af ter a request pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section has been received, the Di-rector of Nuclear Reactor Ragulation, Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Director, Office of In-sL ?ction and Enforcement, as appro-priate shall either institute the re-quested proceeding in accordance with this subpart or shall advise the person who made the request in wTiting that no proceeding will be instituted in whole or in part, with respect to his request, and the reasons therefor.
(c)(1) Director's decisions under,this section will be filed with the Office of the Secretary. Within twenty (20) days af' - the date of a Director's de-cision t.
ler this section that no pro-ceeding will be instituted or other action taken in whole or in part, the Comrnission may on its own motion review that decision, in whole cr in part, to determine if the Director has abused his discretion. This review power does not limit in any way either the Commission's supervisory power o er delegated Staff actions or the Comn.ission's power to consult with the Staff on a formal or informal ba. sis regarding institution of proceedings under this section.
4 'Je d
(2) No petition or other request for l 7 Commission review of a Director's de-
/j cLsion under this section will be enter-tained by the Commission.