RIS 2003-10, Licensed Operator Requalifiction Training: Written Examination Frequency

Licensed Operator Requalifiction Training: Written Examination Frequency

ML031560628
Person / Time
Issue date:	06/13/2003
From:	Beckner W NRC/NRR/DRIP/RORP
To:
Muller D IOHS/NRR 415-1412
References
TAC M7996 RIS-03-010
Download: ML031560628 (5)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001 June 13, 2003 NRC REGULATORY ISSUE SUMMARY 2003-10

LICENSED OPERATOR REQUALIFICATION TRAINING:

WRITTEN EXAMINATION FREQUENCY

ADDRESSEES

All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors and test and research reactors, except those who have permanently ceased operations and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor vessel.

INTENT

The NRC is issuing this regulatory issue summary (RIS) to clarify the NRC staffs expectations regarding the frequency of licensed operator comprehensive requalification written examinations required per Part 55 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 55). This RIS requires no action or written response on the part of an addressee.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Three subparagraphs in 10 CFR 55.59 specify the requalification periodicity requirements for licensed operators and for the associated requalification training programs administered by facility licensees.

• Per 10 CFR 55.59(a)(1) each licensed operator must successfully complete a requalification program developed by the facility licensee and approved by the Commission. This program shall be conducted for a continuous period not to exceed 24 months in duration.

• Per 10 CFR 55.59(a)(2) each licensed operator must pass a comprehensive requalification written examination and an annual operating test.

• Per 10 CFR 55.59(c)(1) licensed operator requalification training programs must be conducted for a continuous period not to exceed two years, and upon conclusion must be promptly followed, pursuant to a continuous schedule, by successive requalification programs.

SUMMARY OF ISSUE

There has been some confusion regarding the required frequency for licensed operator comprehensive requalification written examinations. Two common questions are:

1. Can the comprehensive requalification written examination be administered after the completion of a 24-month requalification training program? In other words, can the requalification training program (lectures, simulator training, etc.) be conducted for

24-months, followed by the administration of the comprehensive requalification written examination?

The answer to this question is no. The comprehensive requalification written examination is considered a part of each 24-month requalification training program.

Therefore, the comprehensive requalification written examination must occur during (and, consistent with the definition of comprehensive, preferably at or near the end of)

each 24-month requalification training program and not after a 24-month program has been completed.

2. Does each licensed operator have to complete a comprehensive requalification written examination at a frequency no greater than 24-months?

The answer to this question is no. Although comprehensive requalification written examinations are generally conducted on 24-month intervals, their timing can be adjusted somewhat near the end of each 24-month requalification program to accommodate outages and other events. For certain individual licensed operators, the adjustments may cause the testing interval between successive comprehensive requalification written examinations to exceed 24 months. This is acceptable, as long as each licensed operator takes a comprehensive requalification written examination during each 24-month requalification program. No request for a rule exemption per 10 CFR

55.11 is required.

For example, suppose a licensed operator was in two consecutive requalification programs. The first program ran from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 1999, and the second program from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2001. The licensed operator took the comprehensive written examination for the first program on November 15,

1999, and took the comprehensive written examination for the second program on December 12, 2001. Although this individual has exceeded 24 months between comprehensive requalification written examinations, the facility licensee and the individual are still in compliance with the regulations because (1) each successive requalification training program did not exceed 24 months, (2) during each 24-month requalification training program there was a comprehensive requalification written examination, taken by the operator and (3) the requalification programs were conducted on a continuous schedule.

BACKFIT DISCUSSION

This RIS requires no action or written response and, therefore, does not constitute a backfit under 10 CFR 50.109. Consequently, the staff did not perform a backfit analysis.

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION

A notice of opportunity for public comment on this RIS was not published in the Federal Register because it is informational.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT

This RIS does not require any specific action or written response and, therefore, is not subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

If you have any questions about this matter, contact the individual listed below.

/RA/

William D. Beckner, Program Director Operating Reactor Improvements Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contact:

David S. Muller, NRR

301-415-1412 E-mail: dsm3@nrc.gov Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Regulatory Issue Summaries

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION

A notice of opportunity for public comment on this RIS was not published in the Federal Register because it is informational.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT

This RIS does not require any specific action or written response and, therefore, is not subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

If you have any questions about this matter, contact the individual listed below.

/RA/

William D. Beckner, Program Director Operating Reactor Improvements Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contact:

David S. Muller, NRR

301-415-1412 E-mail: dsm3@nrc.gov Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Regulatory Issue Summaries DISTRIBUTION:

ADAMS

RIS File DOCUMENT NAME: G:\RORP\OES\Staff Folders\Petrone\MB7996\041703-CDP-dRIS-RIS24monthrequal.wpd Adams Accession No.: ML

OFFICE DIPM/IEHB/IOHS Tech Editor SC: IOHS BC: IEHB:DIPM OES:RORP:DRIP

NAME DSMuller CP for PKleene DCTrimble TRQuay CDPetrone DATE 04/30/2003 04/21/2003 05/01/2003 05/05/2003 04/30/2003 OFFICE SC:RORP:DRIP OGC D: DIPM SC:RORP:DRIP PD:RORP:DRIP

NAME PMMadden SLUttal BABoger TReis WDBeckner DATE 04/30/2003 05/13/2003 05/08/2003 06/12/2003 06/13/2003 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Attachment LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC REGULATORY ISSUE SUMMARIES

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Regulatory Issue Date of Summary No. Subject Issuance Issued to

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2003-09 Environmental Qualification of 05/02/2003 All holders of operating licenses Low-Voltage Instrumentation and for nuclear power reactors, except Control Cables those who have permanently ceased operations and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor vessel.

2003-08 Protection of Safeguards 04/30/2003 All holders of operating licenses Information From Unauthorized for nuclear power reactors, Disclosure decommissioning reactor facilities, independent spent fuel storage installations, research and test reactors, large panoramic and underwater irradiators, and fuel cycle facilities.

2003-07 Issuance of Regulations Revising 04/23/2003 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Filing Requirements for Advance Commission (NRC) power reactor Notification of the Shipment of licensees, research and test Spent Nuclear Fuel and Special reactor licensees, independent Nuclear Material spent fuel storage installation licensees, and special nuclear material licensees who ship spent nuclear fuel and special nuclear material.

2003-06 High Security Protected and Vital 03/20/2003 All power reactor (including Area Barrier/Equipment decommissioning reactor)

Penetration Manual licensees, independent spent fuel storage installation licensees, the conversion facility licensee, gaseous diffusion plant licensees, and Category I fuel cycle facility licensees.

Note: NRC generic communications may be received in electronic format shortly after they are issued by subscribing to the NRC listserver as follows:

To subscribe send an e-mail to <listproc@nrc.gov >, no subject, and the following command in the message portion:

subscribe gc-nrr firstname lastname

______________________________________________________________________________________

OL = Operating License CP = Construction Permit