View source for Information Notice 1997-67, Failure to Satisfy Requirements for Significant Manipulations of the Controls for Power Reactor Operation Licensing

{{Adams
| number = ML031050127
| issue date = 08/21/1997
| title = Failure to Satisfy Requirements for Significant Manipulations of the Controls for Power Reactor Operation Licensing
| author name = Slosson M
| author affiliation = NRC/NRR
| addressee name = 
| addressee affiliation = 
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| license number = 
| contact person = 
| document report number = IN-97-067, NUDOCS 9708150270
| document type = NRC Information Notice
| page count = 8
}}
{{#Wiki_filter:UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-OpO1 August 21, 1997 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 97-67: FAILURE TO SATISFY REQUIREMENTS FOR

SIGNIFICANT MANIPULATIONS OF THE CONTROLS

FOR POWER REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING

==Addressees==
All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors except those who have

permanently ceased operations and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed

from the reactor vessel.

==Purpose==
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice to alert

addressees that operator license applicants are required to perform at least five significant

control manipulations on the facility for which a license Is sought (Section 55.31 (a)(5) of Title

10 of the Code of Federal Regulations [10 CFR 55.31(a)(5)]). Licensees have erred on the

interpretation of the requirements of this section of 10 CFR Part 55. It is expected that

recipients will review information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as

appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this information

notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is

required.

==Description of Circumstances==
Operator license applicants are required to provide evidence that they, as trainees, have

successfully manipulated the controls of the facility for which an operator or senior operator

license is sought. At a minimum, applicants must perform five significant control

manipulations which affect reactivity or power level on the facility for which the license is

sought (10 CFR 55.31(a)(5)). Controls as defined in 10 CFR 55 are apparatus and

mechanisms, the manipulation of which directly affects the reactivity or power level of the

reactor. Licensees have erred on the interpretation of what constitutes a significant control

manipulation.

During a review of operator license applications for the Pilgrim facility, NRC inspectors

determined that the requirements for operator and senior operator applicants to perform at

least five significant control manipulations on the facility were not satisfied. The Pilgrim

licensee incorrectly assumed that a single 30 percent decrease in power with recirculation

pumps was equivalent to three 10 percent or greater power reductions and counted this as

three of the five required significant control manipulations. The licensee contacted other

licensees regarding the practice at their facilities and reported that there was a wide range of

interpretations by the other licensees contacted.                                   II

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IN 97-67 August 21, 1997 The NRC administered examinations to the individuals but did not issue operator licenses

until the facility submitted revised applications and provided details of how the applicants

satisfied the requirements to perform the required significant control manipulations. As

documented in "Pilgrim Examination Report 50-293/97-006 and Notice of Violation,"
(Accession No. 9707290261), dated July 18, 1997, the NRC determined that a violation of

NRC requirements had occurred because two applicants had not completed the five

significant control manipulations required by 10 CFR 55.31 (a)(5) in an acceptable manner.

Discussion

Before 1987, the operator license application required the licensee to certify that the

applicant had learned to operate the facility and also to provide the details of the training and

experience of the applicant. A 1987 NRC rule changed the requirement to provide the details

of the applicant's training and experience and requested instead a simple check mark in the

boxes on the application form (NRC-398) to indicate that the applicant has successfully

completed an Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) accredited operator training

program that is based on a systems approach to training, and that a certified simulation

facility is used in the operator training program.

During rule making, the nuclear industry requested clarification of the phrase "leamed to

operate" (Federal Register Vol. 52, No. 57 Wednesday, March 25, 1987, page 9456) and

NRC added 10 CFR 55.31 (a)(5) to specify the minimum number of control manipulations that

the applicant had to conduct on the facility.

Examples of significant control manipulations are contained In Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.8, Revision 2, "Qualification and Training of Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants."
          Paragraph C.1.h. of RG 1.8 states in part that:
         Control room operating experience ...should include manipulation of controls of the

facility during a minimum of five reactivity changes. Every effort should be made to

have a diversity of reactivity changes for each applicant. Startups, shutdowns, large

load changes, and changes in rod programming are some examples and could be

accomplished by manually using such systems as rod control, chemical shim control, or recirculation flow.

Additional examples of significant control manipulations include, but are not limited to, items

A-F of 10 CFR 55.59(c)(3) (on-thejob training for requalification):

IN 97-67 August 21, 1997 A.      Plant or reactor startups to include a range that reactivity

feedback from nuclear heat addition is noticeable and heatup

rate is established.

B.      Plant shutdown.

C.      Manual control of steam generators or feedwater or both during startup

and shutdown.

D.      Boration or dilution during power operation.

E.      Significant ( 10 percent) power changes in manual control or recirculation

flow.

F.      Reactor power change of 10 percent or greater where load change is

performed with load limit control or where flux, temperature, or speed control is

on manual (for HTGR).

As defined in 10 CFR 55.59(c)(3)(E), a 10 percent or greater power change is considered to

be a significant control manipulation. Additional clarification was provided in NUREG-1262,
"Answers to Questions at Public Meetings Regarding Implementation of Title 10, Code of

Federal Regulations, Part 55 on Operators' Licenses," dated November 1987, which was

transmitted to all licensees on November 12, 1987, as an attachment to Generic Letter 87-16 (Accession No. 8712030029). Some of the guidance included in NUREG 1262 is reiterated

below; licensees should refer to NUREG 1262 for additional details.

The situation in which an applicant performs a 30 percent change in power in a short

period (i.e., on the same shift) with no diversity of controls would be evaluated as one

significant control manipulation. The situation in which an applicant reduces power

from 100 percent to 95 percent and then increases power from 95 percent to

100 percent would be evaluated as one significant control manipulation.

The situation when an applicant performs a 50 percent change in power in a short

period of time with diversity of controls (recirculation flow and control rods, or

chemical shim and controls rods) can be evaluated as two significant control

manipulations. The situations when an applicant reduces power by 10 percent then

holds there for performance of other work or testing and then later in the shift

increases power by 10 percent can be evaluated as two significant control

manipulations.

Diversity of significant control manipulations on the plant are expected; however, it is

not required. If the applicant does not have experience in diverse significant control

manipulations, this fact should be noted in the comments section of NRC form 398.

. I

IN 97-67 August 21, 1997 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts

listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Original signed by

Maryle                   on,     Fiting Director

Division of Reactor Program Management

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts:             Brian Hughes, NRR                 John Pellet, RIV

301-415-1096                      (817) 860-8159 E-mail: bxhl@nrc.gov              E-mail: jlp@nrc.gov

Donald Florek, RI                 Thomas Peebles, RII

(610) 337-5185                    (404) 562-4638 E-mail: djfl@nrc.gov              E-mail: tap@nrc.gov

Mel Leach, Rill

(630) 829-9705 E-mail: mnl@nrc.gov

Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices                                 ,5                       A     ge

Tech Editor has reveiwed and concurred on 7/8/97 DOCUMENT NAME: G:ICDPIN95X7A.BXH

*See previous concurrence

To receive a copy of this document. hIdlcate hI the box: C - Copy without ettachment/enclosure 'E - Copy with attachmentfenclosure

'N' - No copy

OFFICE        HOLB/DRCH                   I      HOLB/DRCH         I      PECB [__                    PECB/NRR

NAME          BHughes:rc/bh                      RGallo                  Cpetrone                     AChaffee          G      us{
       DATE          08/06/97*                          08/07/97*               08/14/97*                    08/14/97*                 0819797 lOFFICIAL                                         RECORD COPY

I        -
                                                                       Attachment

IN 97-66 August 20, 1997 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information                                       Date of

Notice No.            Subject                     Issuance    Issued to

97-66           Failures to Provide               08/20/97    All holders of oDeratiria licenses

Special Lenses for                            or construction permits for

Operators Using                               nuclear power and non-power

Respirator or Self-                           reactors and all licensed reactor

Contained Breathing                           operators and senior operators

Apparatus During

Emergency Operations

97-65           Failures of High-Dose-            08/15/97    All high-dose-rate (HDR)
                  Rate (HDR) Remote After-                      remote afterloader licensees

loading Device Source

Guide Tubes, Catheters, and Applicators

97-64           Potential Problems                08/13/97    All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Associated with Loss                          Commission medical tele- of Electrical Power                           therapy licensees

in Certain Teletherapy

Units

97-63           Status of NRC Staff's             08/07/97    All holders of OLs or CPs

Review of BWRVIP-05                           for boiling water reactors

97-62           Unrecognized Reactivity           08/06/97    All holders of OLs or CPs

Addition During Plant                        *for nuclear power reactors

Shutdown

97-61           U.S. Department of                08/06/97    All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Health and Human                              Commission medical licensees, Services Letter, to                           veterinarians, and manu- Medical Device Manu-                          facturers/distributors of

facturers, on the                             medical devices

Year 2000 Problem

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 97-XX

August XX, 1997 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact one of the technical contacts

listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Marylee M. Slosson, Acting Dir ctor

Division of Reactor ProgramWianagement

Office of Nuclear Reactor egulation

Technical contacts:            Brian Hughes, NRR                   John Pellet, RIV

301-415-1096                        (817) 860-8159 E-mail: bxhl@nrc.gov                E-mail: jlp@nrc. v

Donald Florek, RI                  Thomas P            les, RI1
                               (610) 337-1585                      (404) 56 638 E-mail: djfl@nrc.gov               E-mailf pnrc.gov

Mel Leach, Rill

(630) 829-9705 E-mail: mnl@nrc.gov

Attachment: List of Recently Issued N                         Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: G:1CDP1lN9pX7A.BXH

*See previous concurrence                      /
To receive a copy of this document. Indicate hI the box: *C - Copy without attachmentlenclosure E - Copy with attachment/enclosure

N' -No copy                                                                                                    A4 OFFICE         HOLB/DRCH               '          HOLB/DRCH                 PEC             &                                    (A)DRPM

NAME           BHughes:rc/bh                      RGallo                    Cpet'rone                kc-hafftee                  11slosson

DATE           08/06/97*,                         08/07/97*                 08/)cf/97               08/ #( /97                   08/ /97 UV-VILIAL KtLUUV LUFY'
                                                                                                y9           'Y%   10S   1V

I

IN 97-XX

July XX. 1997 This information notice requires no specific action or written response.

you have any questions about the information in this notice. please c act

(one of) the technical contact(s) listed below or the appropriate                                                ice of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Jack Roe. Acting rector

Division of Rea or Program Management

Office of Nuc ar Reactor Regulation

Technical contact(s):                     Brian Hughes. NRR/HOL

(301) 415-1096 E-Mail: BXH1@NRC. V

Donald Florek, egion I                  Thomas Peebles. Region II

(610) 337-158                          (404) 562-4638 E-Mail: DJ @NRC.GOV                     E-Mail: TAP@NRC.GOV

Mel Leac . Region III                   John Pellet. Region IV

(630) 29-9705                          (817) 860-8159 E-Mai. MNL@NRC.GOV                      E-Mail: JLP@NRC.GOV

Attachment:             List of Recen y Issued NRC Information Notices

*See previous concurrence

To receive a copy of this document. Indlicate In the bo  C - Copy without attachment/enclosure E - Copy with attachment/enclosure  'N' - No copy

OFFICE          HOLB/DRCH                                                        l

TECH/EDITOR             PECB/NRR                    DRPM/NRR

NAME            BHughes:rc/bht.                     RGallo'fDCalureAd                               AChaffee                    JRoe

DATE            08/06/97*                           08    /97               07/08/97*               08/        /97              08/       /97

I    .

.

INFORMATION NOTICE FORMAT

This information notice requires no specific action or written res onse. Ifyou

have any questions about the information in this notice, please ntact (one of)
               the technical contact(s) listed below or the appropriate                                                  fice of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Marylee M. osson, Director

Division           Reactor Program Management

Office            Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact(s):                      Brian ghes, NRR/HOLB

301- 5-1096 E- 11: BXH1@NRC.GOV

onald Florek, Region I                     Thomas Peebles, Region II

610-337-1585                                 404-562-4638 E-Mail: DJF1@NRC.GOV                         E-Mail: TAP@NRC.GOV

Mel

---
                                                                Leach,
                                                                 ---    ----
                                                                             Region III                 eS noPellet.

John            o a Region IV

63U-829-9/Ub                                 E/-MaJU-iJb                 G

E-Mail: MNL@NRC.GOV                          E-Mail: JLP@NRC.GOV

Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

To receive a copy of this document, hIdicate hithe box: 'C   - Copy without attachmentlenclosure  WE'- Copy with attachment/enclosure 'N" - No copy

OFFICE        HOLB/DRCH I HOLB/DRCH I                             TECH/EDITOR I              PECB/NRR I            DRPM/NRR ll

INAME          BHughes:rc/bh RGallo                                 DCalure4UPP               AChaffee             MSlosson

DATE          08/6 /97                   08/       /97             08/      /97              08/     /97           07/      /97 OFFICIAL RECORD            COPY

Issue Date:            03/21/94                                 E20-5                                    0720, Exhibit 20}}

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