NRC Generic Letter 1981-40

NRC Generic Letter 1981-040: Qualifications of Reactor Operators

ML031110076
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Prairie Island, Columbia, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Sterling, Robinson, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, New Haven, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000514, 05000363, 05000599, 05000000, 05000515, 05000502, 05000600, 05000452, Zimmer, 05000471, 05000453, 05000516, 05000517, 05000580, 05000581, 05000376, Fort Saint Vrain, Washington Public Power Supply System, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Bailly, Allens Creek, Perkins, Cherokee, Black Fox, Hartsville, Phipps Bend, Yellow Creek, Crane
Issue date:	12/22/1981
From:	Eisenhut D G Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
GL-81-040, NUDOCS 8112220187
Download: ML031110076 (4)

-ALL POWER REACTOR LICENSEES, APPLICANTS FOR OPERATING LICENSE, NSSS VENDORS,REACTOR VENDORS AND ARCHITECT ENGINEERSGentlemen:SubJect: Qualifications of Reactor Operators -License Examinations(Generic Letter 81-40)In letters dated September 13, 1979 and March 28, 1980, we informed you of pro-posed recommendations and revised criteria to be used by the staff in evaluatingreactor operator training and licensing. We also informed you that Commissionreview was continuing in this area and could be expected to result in additionalcriteria.As part of our effort, we have conducted an in-depth review of the examinationprocess, including the scope and format of the examination. The review hasresulted in several changes to our internal procedures and a revised operatorand senior operator written examination.Both examinations will consist of five categories and have a six-hour time limitimposed. The weight given to theory is reduced from 38% in the operator writtenand 56% in the senior operator written, to about 25% in each. Consequently, theexamination becomes less of a writing marathon than at present. Enclosure 1presents the scope of the new examinations and how they relate to the currentexaminations.In addition to the above, the senior operator written examination is restructuredso that a senior operator need not take the operator written portion. Senioroperator candidates who elect to sit only for this written examination will notbe considered for an operator's license should they fail this examination.We hope to initiate the administration of the new examinations early in 1982.However, we believe that it is essential to receive public comments prior toimplementation. In particular, we would welcome comments on how best to schedulethe implementation of this program so as to minimize disruption of ongoing train-Ing programs and staffing plans for pending operating license applicants. Also,we believe it is essential to have some type of controlled experiment to assurethat the proposed examination will result in well-qualified licensed individuals.We welcome any suggestions regarding these experiments. We have scheduled anall-day meeting at the Holiday Inn, 8200 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Md. onJanuary 6, 1982 at 9:00 am.We plan a one-hour presentation and question/answer session. This will befollowed by small roundtable discussions involving OLB examiners and industry,vendor, and members of the public to assure complete understanding of our approach Adaand answer additional questions and address individual concerns. We urge you to ,have representation of your training department at this meeting. / 48112220187 8112220187PDR MISCOFFICE PDR, I IOFFICO ........................ ..... ... ,................ ........ ................ ........................ ......................................... ........................ ............... ...............SURNAMEIP ........ ................ ........ ................ ........................ ................................. ......................................... ........................ ........................DATE .... ........................ ........._._.__........ .... ............... .................... ...........__ .NRC FORM 318 (10-80) NRCM 0240O FFICIA L R EC O RD C OP YUSGPO: ts8a-33so960

N,Mr. Paul F. Collins, Chief, Operator Licensing Branch, will conduct the meeting.Mr. Collins can be reached on (301)492-4868 if you require additional information.Sincerely,Darrell C. Eisenhut, firectorDivision of LicensingEnclosure:Revised examinatiq'spaperDISTRIBUTION:OLB RdgOLB F/FPCollinsJKramerDEisenhutHDentonECaseDHFS BCsDL BCsDL ADsORB BCsORB PMsORB LAsOELD (5)OI&E (7)NSICTERACentral FileNRC PDRDocket FileL PDRGray FileRDiggsI .4Ir / Mfi %L L \ I. I..\9FFICE OL~'/DHFS Ac W9 Di r/D FS rDL4XT ............ ....... ........ .... ....P .C.o.l.l .ins ...JKramer nhut£o3/1 i /3b/81 81.................1... .... .......... .._.. ....................... ..... ....................................... ..... ...................................... ...... ..................1 _ _ _ _ _'A 318 ( tO S0) NRCM 0240O*ICIAL RECORD COPY>431 (1080)NRCM024 OF~CIAL REC RD C PY

ALL POWER REACTOR LICENSEES, APPLICANTS FOR OPERATI1Gf LICENSE, NSSS VENDORS,REACTOR VENDORS AUD ARCHITECT ENGINEERSGentlemen:Subject: Qualifications of Reactor Onfrators -License Examinations(Generic Letter 81-40)In letters dated Septenber 13, 1979 and March 2`2, 198Q0 we informed you of pro-posed recommendations and revised criteria to be used by the staff in evaluatingreactor operator training and licensing. We also informed you that Conmnissionreview was continuing in this area and could he expected to result in additionalcriteria.As part of our effort, we have conducted an in-denth review of the examinationprocess, including the scope and format of the examination. The review hasresulted in several changes to our internal Procedures and a revised operatorand senior operator written examiniation.Both examinations will consist of five categories and have a six-hour tine limitimposed. The weight given to theory is reduced from 33% in the operator writtenand 56% in the senior operator written, to about 25X in each. Consequently, theexamination becomes less of a writing marathor than at present. Enclosure 1presents the scone of the new examinations and how they relate to the currentexaminations.In addition to the above, the senior operator written examination is restructuredso that a senior operator need not take the operator written portion. Senioroperator candidates who elect to sit only for this written examination will notbe considered for an operator's license should they fail this examination.We hope to initiate the administration of the new examinations early in 1982.However, we believe that it is essential to receive public comFents prior toimplementation. In particular, we would welcomle comments on how best to schedulethe implementation of this program so as to minimize disruption of ongoino train-ing programs and staffing plans for pending onerating license applicants. Also,we believe it is essential to have some type of controlled experiment to assurethat the proposed examination will result in well-qualified licensed individuals.We welcome any suggestions regarding these expnriments. We have scheduled anall-day meetinc at the Holiday Inn, 8200 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Md. onJanuary 6, 1982 at a:DO am.We plan a one-hour presentation and question/answer session. This will befollowed by small roundtable discussions involving OLS examiners and industry,vendor, and members of the public to assure complete understanding of our approachand answer additional questions and address individual concerns. We urge you tohave representation of your training department at this meeting.

Mr. Paul F. Collins, Chief, Operator Licensing Branch, will conduct the meetine.?4r. Collins can be reached on (301)492-4P58 if you require additional Information.Sincerely,Darrell 0. Fisenhut, DirectorDivision of LicensingRevised examinationsPAWeOLB/DHFSPCol l ins/blActing Dir/DHFSJKramerDir/DLDElsenhut/ /81/ /81 / /81