ML20132C429
| ML20132C429 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/17/1996 |
| From: | Hoyle J NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| References | |
| FRN-62FR42426, REF-10CFR9.7 AF62-1, AF62-1-003, AF62-1-3, NUDOCS 9612180344 | |
| Download: ML20132C429 (6) | |
Text
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p nuou UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
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Decemoer 17, 1996 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY MEMORANDUM TO:
James M. Taylor Execup)vg Di ector for Operations QH L
FROM:
JohrV Hoyl Secretary STAFF REQUIREMENTS - SECY-96-206 - RULEMAKING
SUBJECT:
PLAN FOR AMENDMENTS TO 10 CFR PART 55 TO CHANGE LICENSED OPERATOR EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS The Commission has approved the staff's rulemaking plan to establish new procedures for the preparation and administration The of initial examinations for power reactor operators.
Commission also approved implementation of Revision 8 of NUREG-The 1021 on a voluntary basis until the rulemaking is complete.
revised press release, as attached, should be issued to announce the agency plans in this matter.
on a continuing basis, a
The headquarters staff should evaluate, sampling of examinations developed under the new examination procedure and the quality of the Regional Operator Licensing the quality of examinations is maintained.
Program to ensure thatthe Statements of Consideration for the rule should
- Further, the continuing NRC involvement and (1) specifically describein approving site specific initial operator licensing oversight dynamic simulator, and plant walk examinations - written, through; and (2) the complete NRC control over administration of The the dynamic simulator and plant walk through examinations.the Commissio press release should reflectwith rulemaking and should similarly describe the over the licensed operator examination process.
program results and The staff should continue to monitor pilotdata to the Commission with the propose present the most current If additional experience gained and final rulemaking packages.
during the remainder of the voluntary pilot program together with insights gained as a result of the rulemaking process suggest SECY NOTE:
THIS SRM, SECY-96-206, AND THE COMMISSION VOTING RECORD CONTAINING THE VOTE SHEETS OF ALL COMMISSIONERS WILL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE 5 WORKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS SRM.
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.. the be the appropriate direction to take, in order to Commission should be informed of such results that this may not he final rule.
f reconsider its position prior to approving t(SECY Suspense:
2/21/97)
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(EDO) pon the abilities The proposed examination process is dependent uo minations and to i
is of paramount work with facility licensees to mainta n exMaintaining importance and should be reflected appropr aources every year.
procedures and by the budgeting of adequate resleast one initial The staff should draftexamination per region per calendar year to a at The staff should proficiency in examination writing,and to serve as a quality check.to examiners, on intervals not d refresher training also regularly convene, operator licensing examiner conferences anto sustain and im ficiencies in the technical and communication skills.
- sessions, the staff should provide the relevant ith the new Once the final rule is in place, Commission with an annual update of experience wd uarters oversigh examination procedure and the results of hea q Annually, after approval of examination development.(SECY Suspense: of final rule)
(EDO)
Attachment:
As stated Chairman Jackson cc:
Commissioner Rogers Commissioner Dicus Commissioner Dia:
Commissioner McGaffigan OGC ACRS, ACNW, ASLEP (via E-Mail)
OCA OIG Office Directors, Regions, i
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COMMISSION APPROVES RULEMAKING PLAN FOR UTILITY ROL IN INITIAL REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATIONS Ar The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has authorized the NRC
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staff to develop a rule requiring that all nuclear power plant licensees prepare - under NRC direction - initial reactor operator license examinations.
The proposed rule will be prepared for Commission review and Until a final rule approval for public comment early next year.
app]icants for operator licenses will continue to be is adopted, examined by using either NRC-prepared tests or those prepared by utilities participating voluntarily in an NRC-supervised pilot The Commission will take the agency's program begun last year.
experience with the pilot program into consideration when it evaluates both the proposed and final rules.
Reactor operator applicants seeking a license to manipulate the controls of a nuclear power plant must pass both a comprehensive, multiple-choice written test and a practical, The generic fundamentals examination, a hands-on examination.
second written test that each applicant must pass to be will continue to be considered for the final license examination, In the practical phase, written and administered by the NRC.
systems and applicants must demonstrate a mastery of plant i
and the ability to deal with operational events on a l
procedures, Licenses are issued for a specific control room simulator.
facility.
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The rulemaking plan includes these provisions:
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NRC will continue to administer and grade the control 7
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room simulator and plant walk-through examination during which each candidate is evaluated on a
- phases, one-on-one basis.
All examinations drafted by utilities will be subject modification and approval by NRC examiners to review, NRC will have the option before the tests are given.
in lieu of accepting or modifying of preparing a test one prepared by a utility To be approved by NRC, examinations must comply with detailed NRC guidance which deals with such matters as appropriate level of difficulty, maintenance of examination security, and restrictions on test preparation by those significantly involved in training license applicants.
The guidance document, " Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors" the new has been revised to implement (NUREG-1021),
process.
Once the new licensing examination process has become least fully operational, the NRC staff will prepare at one examination annually in each of the agency's four the staff maintains its regions to ensure that
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proficiency in examination writing and to serve as a i
quality check on the process.
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either NRC staff examiners or NRC contractors 7
.7 Historically, But have prepared and administered all operator license tests.
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the the Commission approved a staff proposal that in April 1995, agency begin evaluating a system wherein nuclear power plant The licensees would prepare the tests under NRC oversight.
ts Commission took this acticn to recognize substantial improvemen to make the operator licensing in industry training programs, and to realize budgetary savings.
program more efficient, program in a The staff solicited volunteers for a pilot of last year, and to all nuclear utilities in August letter sent Between October 1995 and launched the program two months later.
the staff reviewed and approved 22 operator April of this year, in accordance with licensing examinations prepared by utilities 146 These examinations were used to test published NRC guidance.
applicants for reactor operator and senior reactor operator licenses.
the Commission authorized After a staff briefing in June,
- hrough July 1997 to provide continuation of the pilot program About half the initial reactor time for the rulemaking process.
d, and operator licensing examinations now being given are prepare by utilities the written examinations is administered, one of in the voluntary, pilot program.
taking part
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the new license examination process a
is esimat ed that nd $4 million It the NRC to save between c3 million a of operator licensing would permit 7;
paid annually to contractors for supportUnaffected by the new m-and requalification inspection programs.
y who of operators for non-power reactors, rule is the licensin3 Also unchanged is the NRC.
will continue to be examined by the d inister system whereby utilities prepare and a m of an d operators as part present requalification examinations to license NRC-approved training program.