ML20064B645

Comments on NRC Refusal to Support Initial Exam of Reactor Operator & Senior Reactor Operator Candidates.Delaying Licensing of Personnel Will Affect Util Staffing Increase Commitment.Alternatives to Remedy Situation Listed

ML20064B645
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	09/12/1990
From:	Maxfield G, Mervine M WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER CO.
To:	Perkins K Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
GL-89-12, PBL-90-0275, PBL-90-275, NUDOCS 9010180252
Download: ML20064B645 (2)

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. Wisconsin Electnc POWER COMPANY.

Point Beoch Nuclear Pkint 6610 Nuclear Rd., Two Rhett Wl 54241 (414) M 2320 r

PBL 90-0275 9

September 12, 1990 Mr. Ken Perkins, Jr.-

Chief-Operator Licensing Branch d

Division of Licensee Performance and-Quality Evaluation,.NRR' I

U.S.4 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION d

Washityton, DC 20555

Dear Mr..Perkins:

l NRC SUPPORT FOR THE' INITIAL EXAMINATION OF OUR RO AND SRO CANDIDATES l

Recently Wisconsin Electric was, informed by Mr. Tom Burdick that the'NRC will not support the initial examination for-our reactor operator and senior--

reactor operator candidates-scheduled for spring 1991 via-ourl generic' letter ~

89-12 response dated September 12, 1989. This.is very disappointing.since f

Wisconsin Electric. received no feedback on the NRC's-inability to' support-this examination until last month.

Currently we have six reactor operator and ' five senior: reactor operatorE candidates scheduled for a spring 1991 exam.and they are over. sixty percent complete with their training program. We canceled our. fall-1990 initial exam because we did not have enough candidates to meet the NRC's threshold.

Thus,.

I we will not have an. opportunity.to' examine initial trainees until the fall-of-1991.and'this will prevent us from beginning our next' licensed; operator class in June 1991 for lices aing ini september 1992. Delaying.the licensing of'our.

.i personnel will also make it-extremely difficult to meetiour staffing increase-a commitments that we' established with the NRC earlier this, year.

l As we see it, there are three options that exist to remedy'this' situations.

1.

The:NRC could conduct three exams for Wisconsin Electric;in.FY91 as-originally scheduled on our response to GL'89-12. ~This would meanta requalification exam in March 1991, an initial'examtin. April or May of:

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1991, and a second initial exam in September 1991.

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o 2.

The NRC could conduct two exams fos Wisconsin: Electric in'FY91.

This would mean no requalification: exam, an initial-exam in March orIApril 1991,cand'a second initial exam in September 1991'.

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3.

The NRC could conduct two exams for Wisconsin Electric in FY91. This-(.

would mean a requalification exam in March 1991 and an' initial' exam in l'

April or May 1991. The initial exam scheduled for. september 1991 could be delayed until' October or November 1991 so as-to: fall'into FY92..

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subsequent fall exams in 1992 and beyond would:also be delayed in al l

similar fashion.

I If the NRC can trulyfnot support'our examination requirements of option one,.

then it is our recommendation to go with option two and not conduct.a t=7' requalification exam in 1991. To date,.27 of'our 40 licensed operators have already been examined in requalification exams.in Q989 and 19 p Examining-personnel in 1991 will leave no one new to' examine in 1992 and villLrequire our licensed operators to'be examined at twice the required six-year;._,

frequency.. None of the operators, currently scheduled to.take the exam in 1991 will need to have their license renewed prior to spring of.1992.-

4 Additionally,.the simulator portion;of~this. exam;is ionducted on the Kewaunee simulator which has limited ability to simulate some aspects of the Point P"ich control room.

In 1992, the exam would-be conducted on'the newLPoint=

EP ch simulator currently under construction.

Wiscor. sin Electric is also willing to be flexible and coniider whatever i

options the.NRC may have to. offer. We truly have a need for.the initial examinations that we have scheduled and await your response.

If you or your

' i staff have any questions about.our examination requests,,please do not '

hesitate to call me at (414) 755-2321' Ext. 405. '

Very truly yours, 1

[~'

M. L. Marvine a

superintendent-Training s sdf kEGY t

4 G. J.

a 1 eld (Approved)

Plant Manager t

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cc Mr. Tom Burdick Mr. Clark Vandernelt

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