UNITED STATES 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION 

WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001 

December 27, 2007 

NRC REGULATORY ISSUE SUMMARY 2007-29 

CLARIFIED GUIDANCE FOR LICENSED OPERATOR 

WATCH-STANDING PROFICIENCY 

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 clarify watch-standing proficiency requirements for holders of reactor operator (RO) and 

senior reactor operator (SRO) licenses at power reactor facilities. This RIS summarizes the 

clarifications contained in Section ES-605 of Supplement 1 to Revision 9 of NUREG-1021, 

“Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors.” Supplement 1 to Revision 9 

of NUREG-1021 was issued on October 19, 2007. This RIS requires no action or written 

response on the part of the addressees. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

NRC requirements for licensed operator watch-standing proficiency are set forth in Title 10 of 

the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) paragraph 55.53(e). Previous clarifications 

regarding watch-standing proficiency are contained in NUREG-1262, “Answers to Questions at 

Public Meetings Regarding Implementation of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 55 on 

Operators’ Licenses,” pp.71-81. (NUREG-1262 is available through the NRC’s Public 

Electronic Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/nuregs/staff/sr1262/.) 

Since the publication of NUREG-1262, the NRC has continued to identify instances of licensed 

operators not properly maintaining watch-standing proficiency. Watch-standing proficiency 

issues were discussed in public meetings held with the Nuclear Energy Institute in January and 

November of 2005, and on September 28, 2006. (Minutes from the three public meetings are 

available through NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) 

at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html with ADAMS Accession Numbers of 

ML050670251, ML060170090, and ML062780425.) Clarified guidance for watch-standing 

proficiency was included in Section ES-605 of Draft Supplement 1 to Revision 9 of 

ML072900620 
RIS 2007-29 

Page 2 of 3 

NUREG-1021 (ADAMS accession number ML071580694), which was issued for public 

comment on May 22, 2007, and noticed in the Federal Register (72 FR 28728). 

SUMMARY OF ISSUE 

Section ES-605 of Supplement 1 to Revision 9 of NUREG-1021 provides clarified guidance 

regarding proficiency watches for maintaining an operator's license active. In summary, Section 

ES-605 provides the following clarifications in regard to watch-standing proficiency: 

(1) An allowance to credit watch-standing proficiency hours for certain licensed RO and 

SRO shift crew positions that are in excess of those required by a facility's technical 

specifications. However, in order to credit standing watch in such excess crew positions 

toward the required proficiency hours, a facility licensee must have in place specific 

administrative controls, and any individual serving in an excess crew position must be 

meaningfully and fully engaged in the functions and duties of a licensed RO/SRO. 

(2) If a facility licensee cannot justify excess crew positions for proficiency credit, each 

licensed operator would have to rotate into a licensed shift crew position required by 

technical specifications for at least seven 8-hour or five 12-hour shifts per calendar 

quarter, in order to maintain their license active. Sufficient administrative controls, 

including documenting watch-standing proficiency hours, must be in place 

(3) In order to maintain the supervisory portion of an SRO license active, a SRO must stand 

at least one complete watch (8- or 12-hour shift) per calendar quarter in an SRO-only 

supervisory position. The remainder of complete watches required in a calendar quarter 

may be performed in either a credited SRO or RO position. 

(4) If a licensed SRO stands all of his or her required proficiency watches in a SRO-only 

supervisory position, the RO portion of the license is still considered active. 

(5) Individuals who are licensed on two (or more) similar units at a facility are not required to 

maintain proficiency on each of the similar units. Performing the required number of 

shifts per calendar quarter on a single unit maintains the license active for all similar 

units identified on an individual's license. 

For the complete wording of these clarifications, a copy of Supplement 1 to Revision 9 of 

NUREG-1021 has been mailed to each power reactor site manager, and is also available 

through the NRC’s Electronic Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/nuregs/staff/sr1021/. 

BACKFIT DISCUSSION

This RIS and the associated Supplement 1 to Revision 9 of NUREG-1021 do not represent a 

new or different staff position regarding watch-standing proficiency. This RIS requires no action 

or written response. Therefore, it is not a backfit under 10 CFR 50.109. Consequently, the staff 

did not perform a backfit analysis. 
RIS 2007-29 

Page 3 of 3 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION

A notice of opportunity for public comment on this RIS was not published in the Federal Register 

because it is informational and pertains to a staff position that does not represent a departure 

from current regulatory requirements and practice. Furthermore, the clarified guidance 

summarized in the RIS was previously issued for public comment in Draft Supplement 1 to 

Revision 9 of NUREG-1021, Section ES-605, and stakeholder feedback was considered in 

developing the final version of the guidance. 

CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT

This RIS is not a rule as designated by the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 801-886) 

and is not subject to the Act. 

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT 

This RIS does not contain new or amend information collection requirements subject to the 

Paperwork Reduction act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing requirements were 

approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), approval number 3150-0018. 

 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. 

CONTACT 

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

/RA/ 

Michael J. Case, Director 

Division of Policy and Rulemaking 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Technical Contacts: Nancy L. Salgado, NRR David Muller, NRR 

301-415-2942 301-415-1412 

 E-mail: nls@nrc.gov E-mail: dsm3@nrc.gov

 George M. Usova 

 301-415-1064 

 E-mail: gmu@nrc.gov

 

 
RIS 2007-29 

Page 3 of 3 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION 

A notice of opportunity for public comment on this RIS was not published in the Federal Register 

because it is informational and pertains to a staff position that does not represent a departure 

from current regulatory requirements and practice. Furthermore, the clarified guidance 

Revision 9 of NUREG-1021, Section ES-605, and stakeholder feedback was considered in 

developing the final version of the guidance. 

CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT

This RIS is not a rule as designated by the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 801-886) 

and is not subject to the Act. 

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT 

This RIS does not contain new or amend information collection requirements subject to the 

Paperwork Reduction act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing requirements were 

approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), approval number 3150-0018. 

 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. 

CONTACT 

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

/RA/

Michael J. Case, Director 

Division of Policy and Rulemaking 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Technical Contacts: Nancy L. Salgado, NRR David Muller, NRR 

301-415-2942 301-415-1412 

 E-mail: nls@nrc.gov E-mail: dsm3@nrc.gov

 George M. Usova 

 301-415-1064 

 E-mail: gmu@nrc.gov

Distribution: RIS File 

ADAMS ACCESSION NO. ML072900620 

Office IOLB:DIRS Tech Editor IOLB:DIRS D:DIRS D:DORL OE 

Name GUsova C.Hsu NSalgado FBrown CHaney CCarpenter 

Date 10/30/07 10/19/07 11/05 /07 11/07/07 11/19/07 11/15 /07 

Office OGC-NLO OGC-CRA PMDA OIS LA:PGCB:DPR PGCB:DPR 

Name CCameron NSanchez LHill MJanney CHawes AMarkley 

Date 12/07/07 12/11/07 11/15/07 11/23/07 12/14/07 12/14/07 

Office BC:PGCB:DPR D:DPR 

Name MMurphy MCase 

Date 12/17/07 12/27/07 

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY