ML20151M456

Requests Encl Ref Matls Be Provided for Reactor & Senior Reactor Operator Licensing Exams Scheduled for Wk of 880711. Requirements for Administration of Written Exams & for Facility Review of Exams Encl

ML20151M456
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend
Issue date:	04/15/1988
From:	Callan L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:	Deddens J GULF STATES UTILITIES CO.
References
NUDOCS 8804250058
Download: ML20151M456 (11)

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In R_eply Refer To:

' Docket: 50-458/0L-88-01 APR l 51988 Gul f -States- Utilities ATTN: Mr.' James C. Deddens Senior Vice President (RBNG)

P.O. Box 220 St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775 Gentlemen:

SUBJECT:

OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATIONS AT RIVER BEND STATION (RBS)

In-a telephone conversation between Messrs. Richard Jackson, RBS Training Coordinator, and David Graves, Operator Licensing Examiner, arrangements were made for the administration of reactor operator and senior operator license examinations at RBS during the week of July 11, 1988.

In order for NRC to meet the above schedule, it will be necessary for facility

-management to furnish the approved reference material listed in Enclosure 1, "Reference Material Requirements for Reactor /SeniorsReactor Operator Licensing Examinations," to the extent it is available at your'far<ility, by May 11, 1988. Any delay in receiving properly bound and indexed'refetence material may result in a delay in administering the examinations. Examihattons are scheduled far in advance with considerable planning to utilize limitTed s exeniner manpower chd to meet, the examination dates requested by the vari'ous, .

facility licensees. Therefore, missing the May 11, 1988, deadline, even by as few days, may result i_n a long delay because it may not be possible to N reschedule examinations for other facility licensees. Mr. Jackson has been advised of'our' reference material requirements.

The facility management is responsible for providing adequate space and accommodations in order to properly conduct the written examinations.

Enclosure 2, "Administration of Reactor / Senior Reactor Operator Licensing Written Examinations," describes NRC requirements for conducting these examinations. Hr. Jackson has also been informed of these requirements.

In addition, to better document simulator examinations, the chief examiner will have the facility simulator operator record prespecified plant conditions (i.e.,

plant pressure, temperature, pressurizer level, etc.), for each simulator scenario. The candidate will be responsible for providing this information, along with any appeal of his simulator operating examination. Therefore, the facility training staff should retain the simulator examination scenario information until all candidates taking the examination have either passed the operating examination or all appeals filed by the candidates who failed the operating examination have been complete .

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Reactor operator and senior reactor operator license applications for all candidates should be submitted at least 60 days before the first scheduled  :

examination date so that.the NRC will be able to review the training and '

experience of the candidates, process medical certifications, and issue examiner assignments. If copies of the applications are not received at least 30 days before the examination date, it is likely that a postponement will be necessary. All training and qualification requirements must be met by each candidate prior to applicat'on submittal.

Until December 31, 1988, in order to allow you to modify your training program so that all training is completed prior to submission of an application, you are permitted to request an exemption of this certification requirement. This can be done by lining through the language in Item 19.b on the application, NRC Form 398, concerning completion of licensee requirements and by referencing a separate attachment to the application containing the following language:

The applicant has not yet successfully completed the licensee requirements to be licensed as an Operator / Senior Operator. However, he/she will have completed them prior to the examination. Upon completion of the requirements, a certification to that effect will be provided as a further addendum to this application. In the interim, it is requested, pursuant to 10 CFR 55.11, that the applicant be exempted from this requirement, as contained in 10 CFR 55.31(a)(4).

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. Printed Name and Signature-Training Printed Name and Signature-Senior Coordinator Management Representative on Site

'Once the applicant completes the training requirements, an addendum to NRC Form 398 would be required to be sent. This addendum must be received prior to the examination date. The format and content of this addendum should read as follows:

Addendum to NRC Form 398 i Application of 4

Facility Name Printed Name and Signature-Training Printed Name and Signature-Senior Coordinator Management Representative on Site l This is to certify that has successfully completed the

licensee requirement for licensing, as required under 10 CFR 55.31(a)(4),

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4 Addendum to NRC Form 398*

Application of-Facility Name Printed Name and Signature-Training _ Printed Name and Signature-Senior

' Coordinator Management Representative on Site This is to certify that has successfully completed the

' licensee requirement for licensing, as required under 10 CFR 55.31(a)(4).

This request for-information was approved by the Office of Management and Budget ~under Clearance No. 3150-0101, which expires May 31, 1989. Comments on burden and duplication may be directed to the Office of Management and Budget, Reports Management' Room 3208, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter. If you have any questions regarding the examination procedures and requirements, please contact Messrs. John L. Pellet, Chief, Operator Licensing Section, at (817)860-8159 or David N. Graves, Cperator Licensing Examiner, at (817)860-8168.

Sincerely, Original Signed By L,J.Cailan L. J. Callan, Director Divisiun of Reactor Projects

Enclosures:

1. Reference Material Requirements

2. Written Exam Administration Requirements

3. Facility Review Requirements cc w/ enclosures:

Gulf States Utilities ATTN: J. E. Booker, Manager-River Bend Oversight

-P.O. Box 2951 Beaumont, Texas 77704 Gulf States Utilities ATTN: Les England, Director Nuclear Licensing - RBNG P.O. Box 220 St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775

s Gulf States Utilities Gulf States Utilities ATTN: Dale Andrews Manager, Nuclear Training P.O. Box 220 St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775 Louisiana State University, Government Documents Department Louisiana Radiation Control Program Director bec w/ enclosures:

bec to DMB (IE42) bec distrib. by RIV:

DRP Resident Inspector R. D. Martin, RA Section Chief (DRP/C)

Lisa Shea, RM/ALF MIS System RPSB-DRSS RSTS Operator Project Engineer, DRP/C RIV File W. Paulson, NRR Project Manager DRS TSS D. Graves J. Pellet

ENCLOSURE 1 REFERENCE MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REACTOR / SENIOR REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATIONS

1. Existing learning objectives and lesson plans (including training manuals, plant orientation manual, system descriptions, reactor theory, thermodynamics, etc.).

Training materials should include all substantive written material used for preparing candidates for initial R0 and SR0 licensing. The written material shoula be inclusive of learning objectives and the details presented during lecture, rather than outlines. ~ Training materials should be identified by plant and unit, bound, and indexed. Failure to provide complete, properly bound and indexed reference material will result in canceling and rescheduling of the examinations. Training materials which include the following should be provided:

System descriptions including descriptions of all operationally relevant flow paths, components, controls and instrumentation.

System training material should draw parallels to the actual procedures used for operating the applicable system.

Complete and operationally useful descriptions of all safety-system interactions, and, where available, B0P system interactions under emergency and abnormal conditions, including consequences of anticipated operator error, maintenance error, and equipment failure.

Training materid usaJ to clarify and strengthen understanding of emergency operating procedures.

Comprehensive thenry material that includes fundamentals in the area of theory of rea.: tor operation, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and l fluid flow, as well as specific applications to actual in plant components, For example, mechanical theory material should include pump theory as well as descriptions of how these principles actually apply to major plant pumps and the system in which they are installed 1 (i.e., reactor coolant pumps, all ECCS pumps, recirculation pumps, feedwater, and emergency feedwater pumps). Reactor theory material should include descriptions that draw explicit ties between the fundamental and actual operating limits followed in the plant (e.g. ,

reactor theory material should contain explanations of how principles relate to the actual curves used by operators to verify shutdown margin or calculate an ECP).

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2 .' Procedure Index (alphabetical by subject).

3. All administrative. procedures (as applicable to reactor operation or safety).

4. All integrated plant procedures (normal or general operating procedures).

5. Emergency procedures (emergency instructions, abnormal, or spacial procedures).

6. Standing orders (important orders that are safety related and may supersede the regular procedures).

, 7. Fuel handling and core-loading procedures, (initial core-loading procedure, when appropriate).

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8. Radiation protection manual (radiation protection manual or procedures).

9. Emergency plan implementing procedures.

10. Technical Specifications.

11. System operating procedures.

12. Piping and instrumentation diagrams, electrical single-line-diagrams, or 1 flow diagrams.

13. Technical data book, and/or plant curve information as used by operators and facility precautions, limitations, and set points (PLS) for the facility.

14. Questions and answers that the facility licensee has prepared (voluntary by facility licensee).

15. The following on the plant reference simulation facility:

d. List of all readily available initialization points.

b. List of all preset malfunctions with a clear identification number.

The list should includa cause and effect information. Specifically for each malfunction, a concise description of the expected result, or range of results, that will occur upon implementation should be provided. Additionally, an indication of which annunciators are to

, be initially expected should be given.

c. A description of simulator failure capabilities for valves, breakers, indicators, and alarms.

d. Where the capability exists,. an explanation of the ability to vary the severity of a particular malfunction should be provided, i.e. ,

the ability to vary the size of a given LOCA or steam leak, or the ability to cause a slow failure of a component such as a feed pump,

' turbine generator, or major valve (e.g., drifting shut of a main feedwater control valve),

e. An indication of modeling conditions or problems that may impact the examination.

f. Identification of unknown Performance Test Failures not yet completed.

g. Identification of significant differences between the simulator and the control room.

h. Copies of facility licensee generated scenarios that expose the candidates to situations of degraded pressure control (PWR), degraded heat removal capability (PWR and BWR), and containment challenges (BWR) may be provided (voluntary by facility licensee).

i. Simulator instructors manual (voluntary by facility licensee).

j. Description of the scenarios used for the training class (voluntary by facility licensee). .

16. Additional material required by the examiners to develop examinations that meet the requirements of these standards and regulations.

The above reference material should be approved, final issued, and so marked.

If a plant has_not finalized some of the material, the chief examiner is responsible for ensuring that the most complete, up-to-date material is available and that agreement has been reached with the facility licensee for limiting changes before the administration of the examination. All procedures and reference material should be bound or IN THE FORM VSED BY THE CONTROL ROOM OPERATORS, WITH appropriate INDEXES or TABLES OF CONTENTS so that they can be used efficiently.

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1 ENCLOSURE 2 REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATION OF WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS

1. A single room shall be provided for completing the written examination.

. The location of this room and supporting restroom facilities shall be such as to prevent contact with.all other facility licensee and/or contractor personnel during the duration of the written examination. .If necessary, the facility licensee should make arrangements for use of a suitable room at a local school, motel, or other building. Obtaining this room is the responsibility of the fa;ility licensee.

2. Minimum spacing is required to ensure examination integrity as determined by the chief examiner. Minimum spacing should be one candidate per table, with a 3-foot space between tables. No wall charts, models, and/or other training materials shall be present in the examination room.

3. Suitable arrangements shall be made by the facility licensee if the candidates are to have lunch, coffee, or other refreshments. These arrangements shall comply with Item 1 above. These arrangements shall be reviewed by the chief examiner and/or proctor.

4. The facility licensee shall provide pads of 8 1/2- by 11-in. lined paper in unopened packages for each candidate's use in completing the examination. The examiner shall distribute these pads to the candidates. '

The facility licensee shall provide unmarked steam tables for candidate use as reouested by the chief examiner. When requested by the chief ,

examiner, the facility licensee shall also orepare copies of large documents (i.e., Technical Specifications, Emergency Plan Implementing >

Procedures, Emergency Operating Procedures, etc.) for use by the candidates. Such requests will normally be made known to the facility licensee the working day prior to the written examination. All other reference material needed to complete the examination shall be furnished by the examiner. Candidates may bring pens, pencils, non programable calculators, or slide rules into the examination room. No other equipment or reference material shall be allowed.

5. Only black ink or dark pencils should be used for writing answers to questions.

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3 ENCLOSURE 2 (continued)

NRC RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR LICENSE EXAMINATIONS

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l During the administration of this examination, the following rules apply:

1. Cheating on the examination means an automatic denial of your application and could' result in more severe penalties.

2. Restroom trips are to be limited and only_one candidate at a time may leave. You must avoid all contacts with anyone outside the examination room to avoid even the appearance or'p.ssibility of cheating.

3. Use black ink or dark pencil only to facilitate legible reproductions.

4. Print your-name in the blank provided on the cover sheet of the examination.

5. Fill in the date on the cover sheet of the examination (if necessary).

6. Use only the paper provided for answers.

7. Print' your name in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of each section of the answer sheet.

8. Consecutively number each answer sheet, write "End of Catego/y " as '

appropriate, start each category on a new page, write only one r.ide of the paper, and write "Last Page" on the last answer sheet.

9. Number each answer as to category and number, for example,1.4, 6.3, etc.

10. Skip at least three lines between each answer, i

11. Separate answer sheets from pad and place finished answer sheets face down on your desk or table. .

12. Use abbreviations only if they are commonly used in facility literature.

13. The point value for each question is indicated in parentheses after the question and can be used as a guide for the depth of answer required.

14. Show all calculations, methods, or assumptions used to obtain an answer to mathematical problems whether indicated in the question or not.

15. Partial credit may be given. Therefore, ANSWER ALL PAR 15 0F THE QUESTION. 00 NOT LEAVE ANY ANSWER BLANK.

16. If parts of the examination are not clear as to intent, ask questions of the examiner only.

17. You must sign the statement on the cover hseet that indicates that the work is your own and you have not received or been given assistance in completing the examination. This must be done after the examination has been completed.

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18. When you complete your examination, you shall:

a. Assemble your examination as follows:

(1) Exam questions on top.

(2) Exam aids - figures, tables, etc.

(3) Answer pages including figures which are a part of the answer.

b. Turn in your copy of the examination and all pages used to answer the examination questions.

c. Turn in all scrap paper and the balance of the paper that you did not use for answering the questions.

d. Leave the examination area, as defined by the examiner. If after leaving, you are found in this area while the examination is still in progress, your license may be denied or revoked.

., 9 , ', .{ ' y ENCLOSURE 3 REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITY REVIEW 0F WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS

1. There shall be no review of the written examination by the facility licensee staff before or during the administration of the examination.

Following the administration of the written examination, the facility licensee staff shall be provided a marked-up copy of tne examination and the answer key.

2. Th'e facility licensee will have 5 working days from the day the written examination is given to submit formal comments. The formal comments will be approved by the highest level of corporate management for plant operations, e.g., Vice President for Nuclear Operations, and submitted.to the Region IV office w*th a copy.to the Section Chief for Operator Licensing. Comments not submitted within 5 working days will be incorporated into the grading process on a case-by-case basis as determined by the Section Chief. -No grading will be done until the formal comments are received and resolved. If the formal comments are not received by the deadline, the final examination results may be delayed several weeks since the grading may have to be rescheduled in a later time slot.

3. The following information shall be provided for each individual comment:

a. HRC question nue.ber

b. Facility licensee comment

c. Copy of supporting documentation (the reference may be cited if the document is held by tha Operator Licensing Section)

NOTES: 1. No change to the examination will be made without submittal of, or proper reference to, complete, current, and approved reference material.

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2. Comments made without a clear, concise, facility licensee recommendation, will not be addressed.

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