ML20209G227

Rev 1 to Reg Guide 1.149,Task OL 402-5, Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in OL Exams

ML20209G227
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/30/1987
From:	NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES)
To:
References
TASK-OL-402-5, TASK-RE REGGD-01.149, REGGD-1.149, NUDOCS 8704300503
Download: ML20209G227 (4)

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[*g U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION April 1987 N4i$ni m REGULATORY GU DE s .*** /

+ OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH REGULATORY GUIDE 1.149 (Task OL 402-5)

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SIMULATION FACILITIES FOR USE IN OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATIONS A. INTRODUCTION B. DISCUSSION Paragraph 55.45(a) of 10 CFR Part 55, " Operators' Although ensuring that individuals who receive opera-Licensei," requires that an applicant for an operator or tor or senior operator licenses possess the knowledge, senior operator license demonstrate both an understand- skills, and abilities necessary to operate the facility in a ing of and the ability to perform certain essential job safe manner is the responsibility of facility licensees, the tasks. Paragraph 55.45(b) specifies that these operating Nuclear Regulatory Commission must perform an inde-tests will be administered, in part, either in a simulation pendent audit of this process through its operator facility consisting solely of a plant-referenced simulator licensing examinations. Section 55.45, " Operating Tests,"

that has been certified to the Commission by the of 10 CFR Part 55 requires the candidate for a license facility beensee or in a simulation facility approved by to demonstrate (1) an understanding of and the ability the Commission after application has been made by the to perform the actions necesscry during normal, abnor-facihty licensee 1 mal, and emergency situations; (2) the operation of systems that affect heat remosal or reactivity changes; This regulatory guide describes a method acceptable and (3) behaviors that show the individual's ability to to the NRC staff for complying with those portions of function withi1 the control room team in such a way the Commission's regulations regarding (? ) certitication that the facility licensee's procedures are adhered to and (n

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of a simulation facility consisting solely of a plan t-referenced simulator and (2) application for f rior ap-that the 1;mitations in its heense and amendments are not violated.

proval of a simulation facility.

The use of a plant-referenced simulator for testing lhe Advisory Committee on Reactor Saieguards nas enables the examiner to evaluate a candidate's perfor-been consulted concerning this guide and has concurred mance in an environment closely correlated with condi-in the regulatory position. tions in the specific plant for which that candidate has applied for a license. With major facility differences

\ny information collection activities mentioned in minimized between the testing and operating environ-this regulatory guide are contained as requirements in ments, examiners have been able to make pass-fail those sections of 10 CFR Part 55 that provide the judgments with confidence, regulatory basis for this guide. The information collec-o $ tion requirements ir.10 CFR Part 55 have been cleared Although the increased use of plant-referenced simu-0- under Clearance No. 3150-0018 and No. 3150 4138. lators has provided to examiners the capability for O

The substantial number of changes in this revision has made it better discrimination between success and failure in a g impractical to indicate the changes with lines in the margin, candidate than could be achieved with non-plant-I A simulation facility is defined in 155.4 as one or more of the referenced simulators, the staff recognizes the existence go of several factors that could suggest the use of alterna-00 following components alonc or in combination, used for the partial gg conduct of operating tests for operators,semor operators,and candi- tive systems or devices for conducting the non-dates: i) the plant, (ii) a plant-referenced simulator, (iii) another g simulat(ion device, walkthrough portions of operating tests. These factors ne v

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W o.O USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES The guides are issued in the following ten broad divisions:

Regulatory Guides are issued to describe and make available to the public methods acceptable to the N RC staff of implementing 1. Power Reactors 6. Products specific parts of the Commission's regulations, to delineate tech- 2. Research and Test Reactors 7. Transportation n6 ques used by the staff in evaluating specific problems or postu- 3. Fuels and Materials Facilities 8. Occupational Health lated accidents, or to provide guidance to appiscants. Regulatory 4. Environmental and Siting 9. Antitrust and Financial Review Guides are not substitutes for regulations, and compliance with 5. Materials and Plant Protection 10. General them 6s not required. Methods and solutions dif ferent from those set out in the guides will be acceptable if they provide a basis for the

/N i findmos requisite to the issuance or contmuance of a permit or 16 cense by the Commission.

copies of issued guides may be purchased from the Government Printing Office at the current GPO price, information on Current

( This guide was issued af ter consideration of comments received from GPO prices may be obtained by contacting the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing O f fice, Post O f fice Box the pubsic. Comments and suggestions for 6mprovements in these 3 7082. Washington, DC 20013-7082, telephone (202)275-2060 or guides are ensouraged at all times, and guides will be revised, as (202)275-2171.

acpropriate, to accommodate comments and to reflect new informa-teon or experience, issued guides may also be purchased from the National Technical written comments may be submitted to the Rules and Procedures In f orma tion Service on a stand.nq order basis. Details on this Branch, DRR ADM, U.S. Nuclear R egulat ory Commission, service may be obtamed by writing NTIS, 5285 Port Royal Road, Washington, DE. 2055 5. Springfield. V A 22161.

include the cost and lead time associated with procure- to ensure the continued acceptability of the simulation ment or upgrading of a plant-referenced simulator. More- facility. These malfunctions, if applicable to the facility, over, rapidly changing technology in the simulation indus- should be tested in their entirety not less than every try is resulting in previously unavailable options that four years, approximately 257c per year. When con-could lead a facility licensee to seek alternative ways to ducted in addition to the tests required by Section 5.4 meet the requirements of 55.45. ANSI /ANS-3.5-1985, and when subjected to the performance criteria for

" Nuclear Power Plant Simulators for Use in Operator transient operations specified in Section 4.2, " Transient Traming"2 (the standard), in conjunction with this Operation," these malfunction tests provide an accept-regulatory guide, provides guidance in these areas. able means of demonstrating the performance and operability of the simulation facility.

C. REGULATORY POSITION

6. Appendix A to the standard, " Guide for Document-Requirements are set forth in ANSI /ANS-3.5-1985 for ing Simulator Performan;e," and Appendix B to the specifying minimum performance and configuration cri- standard, " Simulator Operability Tests," should be con-teria for a simulator, for comparing a simulator to its sidered integral parts of the standard.

reference plant, and for upgrading simulators to reflect changes to reference plant response or control room D. IMPLEMENTATION configuration. These requirements provide a method acceptable to the NRC staff for a facility licensee (1) to The purpose of this section is to provide information certify a simulation facility consisting solely of a plant- to facility licensees about the NRC staff's plans for using referenced simulator or (2) to obtain approval of a this regulatory guide.

simulation facdity for use in portions of reactor opera-tor and senior operator hcense examinations subject to in accordance with the requirements in 55 45 of the following: 10 CFR Part 55, the simulation facility portion of the operating test will not be administered on other than an

1. The references to operator training in Section I, approved or a certified simulation facility after:

" Scope," of the standard should be taken to apply to operating tests for operators, senior operators, and candidates. 1. The facility licensee has submitted a certification in accordance with paragraph 55.45(b)(5)(i), or

2. Simulation facilities as defined in 55.4 of 10 CFR Part 55, to the extent that the facihty licensee applies 2. T he staff has approved an application submitted for approval under the requirements of paragraph 55.45(b), by the facility licensee in accordance with paragraph should meet the applicable requirements of the standard. 55.45(b)(4), or

3. The standard identifies in Section 1.1, " Background," 3. May 28,1991, whichever occurs sooner.

other documents to be included as part of the standard.

The applicability of one of these documents, ANSI / Until that time, the NRC will continue to give exami-ANS-3.1,2 should be determined by referring to Revi- nations for a facility licensee's reference plant in accord-sion 2 to Regula tory Guide 1.8, "Quahfication and anee with Generic Letter 82-18, " Reactor Operator and Training of Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants." Senior Reactor Operator Requalification Examinations,"3 October 12, 1982.

4. Section 5.2, " Simulator Update Design Data," re-quires that reference plant modifications be reviewed Licensees and applicants may propose means other annually against the simulator and that the simulator than those specified in Section C of this guide for meeting update design data be revised as appropriate. This applicable regulations. lixcept in those cases in which a should be taken to mean that the first such annual facility licensee submits a certification for its simulation review and update should take place within one year facdity or proposes an acceptable alternative method for following the facility licensee's certification as specified complying with specified portions of the Commission's in paragraph 55.45(b)(5)(i) or within 18 months follow- regulations, the NRC will use the method described in ing the submittal of the application for approval as this guide in the evaluation of the application for specified in paragraph 55.45(b)(4Ki). approval submitted by the facility licensee for its simula-tion facility. The guidance provided in Section C has

5. Section 5.4, " Simulator Testing," requires the con- been approved for use by the staff in the evaluation of duct of specific tests to establish simulator performance all submittals as an acceptable means of complying with and verify its operabdity. In addition to these proce- the Commission's regulations specified in Section A.

du res, applicable malfunctions, identified in Section 3.1.2, " Plant Malfunctions," should be periodically tested if a facility licensee wishes to utilize a simulation facility for more than one nuclear power plant, it must 2 3 Available for copying for a fee or inspection at the NRC Copies may be obtained from the American Nuclear Society, 55 5 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park,IL 60525. Public Document Room, 17 t 7 H Street NW., Washington, DC.

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demonstrate .to the NRC in its certification or in its 2. Technical specifications; application that the differences between the plants are O not so significant that they have an impact on the ability of the simulation facility to meet the require-ments 2nd guidance of ANSI /ANS-3.5-1985 as qualified

3. Procedures, primarily abnormal and emergency operating procedures; in this regulatory guide for each of the plants. This demonstration should include an analysis and summary of the differences between each plant and the simula- 4. Control room design and instrument / control loca-tion facility,~ including: tion; and

1. Facility design and systems relevant to control room personnel; 5. Operational characteristics.

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VALUE/ IMPACT ANALYSIS A separate value/ impact analysis has not been pre- Room at that time. This analysis is also appropriate to pared for this regulatory guide. A value/ impact analysis Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 1.149. A copy of the was included in the regulatory analysis for the amend- regulatory analysis is available for inspection and copy-ments to 10 CFR Part 55 published on Marct 25, 1987, ing for a fee at the NRC Public Document Room, a copy of which was placed in the Public Document 1717 11 Street NW., Washington, DC.

UNITED STATES 'insr class MAIL NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION """u's*="

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