Withdrawn

NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2007-17, “Preparation 

and Scheduling of Operator Licensing Examinations,” 

dated July 12, 2007, has been withdrawn.

 

ADAMS Accession Number: ML071500449

See Federal Register notice 81 FR 31969, dated 

May 20, 2016
UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001

July 12, 2007

NRC REGULATORY ISSUE SUMMARY 2007-17

PREPARATION AND SCHEDULING OF 

OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATIONS

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. 

INTENT

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this regulatory issue summary (RIS)

to inform addressees of the NRC staff’s need for updated information on projected site-specific

operator licensing examination schedules, as well as the estimated numbers of applicants

planning to take operator licensing examinations and the NRC’s generic fundamentals

examinations (GFEs). This information will help the NRC to more effectively use its resources. 

This RIS requires no action or written response on the part of addressees. Addressee actions

to collect and transmit the information requested are strictly voluntary. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55.40, Subpart E, “Written

Examinations and Operating Tests,” permits nuclear power facility licensees to prepare, proctor,

and grade the written examinations required by 10 CFR 55.41, “Written Examination: 

Operators,” and 10 CFR 55.43, “Written Examination: Senior Operators,” provided that they

satisfy certain conditions. Under 10 CFR 55.40, facility licensees are also permitted to prepare

the NRC-administered operating tests required by 10 CFR 55.45, “Operating Tests.” Pursuant

to 10 CFR 55.40(c), facility licensees that choose not to prepare their own examinations and

operating tests must request in writing that the NRC prepare the examination and the operating

tests.

In RIS 2006-15, “Preparation and Scheduling of Operator Licensing Examinations,” dated

August 14, 2006, the NRC asked facility licensees to submit proposed schedules of

examinations that they intended to prepare and estimate the number of applicants to be tested

in site examinations and GFEs in calendar years (CYs) 2007 through 2010. 

ML071500449
RIS 2007-17

Page 2 of 4

The objective of this RIS is to update examination schedules and applicant estimates for CYs

2008 through 2010 and add an estimate for CY 2011.

SUMMARY OF THE ISSUE

The NRC uses about twice as many resources to prepare an examination as to review,

approve, administer, and document a facility-prepared examination. The number of

examinations administered by licensees fluctuates from year to year. Consequently, the NRC

has found it helpful to request an annual update of power reactor facility licensees’ initial

operator licensing examination needs. The update should include an estimate of the number of

applicants to be examined and whether the licensee or the NRC will prepare the exam. This

information will help the NRC budget its resources. The NRC regional offices will continue to

coordinate specific examination dates with the training managers of affected facility licensees.

The NRC is requesting that each licensee provide the following information on NRC Form 536,

“Operator Licensing Examination Data” (enclosed):

A. Proposed Examination Preparation Schedule 

Estimate the number of examinations you intend to prepare and the number of examinations

you will request the NRC to prepare during CYs 2008 through 2011. For examinations that

facility licensees will prepare, the NRC will assume that each examination includes the required

outline, the written examination, and the operating test, unless otherwise specified. Joint

NRC/licensee examination development is permitted and should be coordinated with the NRC

regional office. 

B. Initial Operator License Examinations 

 

For each desired examination, estimate the number of applicants to be tested and enter the

proposed primary and alternate dates of examination. If you are requesting more than one

examination per CY, split the applicable column or use additional forms as necessary to cover

all the examinations through CY 2011. 

C. Proposed Generic Fundamentals Examination Schedule

 

Estimate by month the number of applicants who plan to take the GFE in CYs 2008 and 2009. 

As requested by the industry, the NRC now administers the GFE four times a year.

VOLUNTARY RESPONSE

The NRC asks addressees choosing to submit the information requested in NRC Form 536 to

do so within 30 days of receiving this RIS. NRC Form 536 is available on the NRC Web site at

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/forms/. Direct your response to the U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and

send a copy of the response to the applicable regional office. You may submit RIS responses

electronically.
RIS 2007-17

Page 3 of 4

BACKFIT DISCUSSION

This RIS requires no action or written response. Any action on the part of addressees to collect

and transmit operator licensing examination data in accordance with the guidance contained in

this RIS is strictly voluntary and, therefore, is not a backfit under 10 CFR 50.109, “Backfitting.” 

Consequently, the NRC staff did not perform a backfit analysis.

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION

The NRC did not publish in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity for public comment on

this RIS because it pertains to an administrative aspect of the regulatory process that involves

the voluntary submission of information on the part of addressees.

CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT

This RIS is not a rule as designated by the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C.§§801-808), and

therefore it is not subject to the Act.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT

This RIS contains information collection requirements that are subject to the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This information collection was approved by

the Office of Management and Budget, approval number 3150-0131.

Public Protection Notification

The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a request for 

information or an information collection requirement unless the requesting document displays a

currently valid OMB control number.
RIS 2007-17

Page 4 of 4

CONTACT

Please direct any questions about this matter to the technical contacts listed below.

/RA by RWebber for/

Michael J. Case, Director

Division of Policy and Rulemaking

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Nancy L. Salgado, NRR Marvin D. Sykes, RI

 301-415-2942 610-337-5046

 email: NLS@nrc.gov email: MDS1@nrc.gov

 Robert C. Haag, RII Hironori Peterson, RIII

 404-562-4607 630-829-9707

 email: RCH@nrc.gov email: HXP1@nrc.gov

 Anthony T. Gody, RIV

 817-860-8159

 email: ATG@nrc.gov

Enclosure: NRC Form 536, “Operator Licensing Examination Data”
RIS 2007-17

Page 4 of 4

CONTACT

Please direct any questions about this matter to the technical contacts listed below.

/RA by RWebber for/

Michael J. Case, Director

Division of Policy and Rulemaking

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Nancy L. Salgado, NRR Marvin D. Sykes, RI

 301-415-2942 610-337-5046

 email: NLS@nrc.gov email: MDS1@nrc.gov

 Robert C. Haag, RII Hironori Peterson, RIII

 404-562-4607 630-829-9707

 email: RCH@nrc.gov email: HXP1@nrc.gov

 Anthony T. Gody, RIV

 817-860-8159

 email: ATG@nrc.gov

Enclosure: NRC Form 536, “Operator Licensing Examination Data”

DISTRIBUTION:

RIS File

ADAMS ACCESSION NO. ML071500449

OFFICE IOLB:DIPM TECH EDITOR C:IOLB:DIRS D:DIRS D:DORL OE

NAME EEBarnhill C. Clark NLSalgado/SG for ECollins CHaney CCarpenter

DATE 05/23/&6/1/2007 06/01/2007 06/19/2007 06/20/2007 06/22/2007 06/20/2007

OFFICE OGC (NLO) OGC (CRA) PMDA OIS LA:PGCB:DPR PGCB:DPR

NAME DRoth DReddick LHill CColburn/MJanney CHawes AMarkley

DATE 06/27/2007 06/29/2007 06/20/2007 06/26/2007 07/02/2007 07/10/2007

OFFICE BC:PGCB:DPR D:DPR

NAME MMurphy RWebber for MCase

DATE 07/11/2007 07/12/2007

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Enclosure

RIS 2007-17

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