April 29, 2008 

MEMORANDUM TO: Bruce A. Boger, Associate Director 

Operating Reactor Oversight and Licensing 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

FROM: Frederick Brown, Director /RA/ 

Division of Inspection and Regional Support 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF THE 2008 ANNUAL U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY 

COMMISSION/INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR POWER OPERATIONS 

COORDINATION MEETING ON TRAINING-RELATED ISSUES 

On April 10, 2008, a periodic public U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)/Institute of 

Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) coordination meeting on training-related issues was held at 

NRC Headquarters, Rockville, Maryland. Such meetings are conducted in accordance with the 

NRC/INPO Memorandum of Agreement dated December 10, 2007. The purpose of the meeting 

was to discuss items of mutual interest concerning INPO's training program accreditation 

process. Participants included representatives of the NRC=s Division of Inspection and Regional 

Support, NRR; NRC’s Division of Construction, Inspection, and Operational Programs, NRO; 

Regional Operator Licensing Branch Chiefs and INPO=s Training and Accreditation Division. 

The list of meeting attendees is provided as Enclosure 1. The meeting agenda is provided as 

Enclosure 2. A summary of the discussions related to key agenda topics covered during the 

meeting follows. 

Introductions and Opening Remarks

An introduction of the members of the public and NRC and INPO personnel present was 

conducted. NRC/INPO provided opening remarks. As part of the opening remarks, INPO and 

NRC discussed organizational changes since the 2007 Coordination Meeting. 

Accreditation Update

For calendar year 2007, 196 training programs at 33 facilities renewed accreditation and 42 

Training Assist visits were conducted. To date in 2008, 29 training programs at 5 facilities have 

renewed accreditation and the training programs at one facility are on accreditation probation. 

NRC nominees Ellis Merschoff and Hubert Miller have joined the National Nuclear Accrediting 

Board. NRC did not observe any Accreditation Team Visits (ATV) and observed eight of eleven 

accrediting boards during calendar 2007. 

The 2007 Training Warning Flags letter was sent to the industry=s Chief Nuclear Officers earlier 

this year. In the letter, actions that can be taken to prevent training warning flags were 

presented. These actions include: 

Find and fix training problems in a timely manner. Don’t wait until it is too late to fix 

problems. Don’t find a problem and then not implement a fix. 
Minimize challenges to operations and operations training management. Changing the 

Operations Manager, the Training Manager, or the Operations Training Supervisor. 

Changing more than one person in a short period of time could challenge the training 

organization. 

Reinforce management standards and expectations during training from both the student 

and the instructor perspectives. 

Maintain worker qualifications records and keep them administratively updated. 

Maintain the training facility in good working order. 

Maintain an awareness of the training staff. For example, weaknesses in staff and 

trainer expertise, consistency of training staff and management and, knowledge transfer 

between senior staff and junior staff. 

INPO is working with the industry to determine if emergency response organization (ERO) 

training is adequate to train and qualify the ERO staff. INPO is conducting on-site review visits. 

Questions asked during the visits include is ERO training SAT-based, should ERO training be 

SAT-based, how can the ERO training and qualification program be upgraded, how much vigor 

should be placed in the development of the training and qualification program, can a common 

position-specific job task analysis be customized to the needs of the site? 

INPO has suggested that Training Managers talk to the Security training organization with the 

intent of offering the Training Department’s services in the area of instructor requalification, initial 

instructor training, and instructor continuing training. 

New Reactor Accreditation 

INPO stated that, similar to ACAD 02-002, “The Process for Accreditation of Training in the 

Nuclear Power Industry,” ACAD 08-001, “The Process for Initial Accreditation of Training in the 

Nuclear Power Industry,” can be designated as being publically available. 

INPO=s accreditation plan is to treat accreditation of new reactor licensees as an initial 

accreditation. Initial accreditation will occur about 4 years prior to fuel load with renewal of all 

training programs about 6 months prior to fuel load. Initial accreditation and renewal of 

accreditation will occur for the 12 accredited training programs. 

The objectives of the initial accreditation process will be to validate training content and 

implementation plans (initial accreditation), build on existing training materials, capitalize on plant 

standardization and technology, and allow training to be conducted as part of an accredited 

program. If sufficient material is not available to make an accreditation determination, 

accreditation will be deferred. 

Renewal of accreditation prior to fuel load will be identical to the current renewal process and will 

ensure the facility training programs are ready to transition to operation. 

INPO plans to review and revise ADAD 00-003, AGuidelines for Initial Training and Qualification 

of Licensed Operators,@ to support new reactor licensed operator training. 
Regulatory Issues

Scenario-based testing and ANSI/ANS-3.5-1998, ANuclear Power Plant Simulators for Use in 

Operator Training and Examination,@ (ANSI 3.5) was discussed. Comments have been received 

and are being evaluated by the working group to determine the action to be taken to satisfy the 

commenter. Regulatory Guide 1.149, “Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in 

Operator Training and License Examinations” will be updated after ANSI 3.5 is approved and the 

Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) submits a paper to the NRC describing the implementation of 

scenario-based testing. 

The NRC stated that revisions to NUREG-1122, AKnowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear 

Power Plant Operators: Pressurized Water Reactors,@ NUREG-1123, AKnowledge and Abilities 

Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators: Boiling Water Reactors,@ and NUREG-1021, 

AOperator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors@ had been published during 

2007. 

The NRC stated that the Operator Licensing Branches in the Office of Nuclear Reactor 

Regulation and the Office of New Reactors are working together to minimize perturbations in the 

area of operator licensing and that both offices are working on acquiring additional operator 

licensing staff. 

Future of Training 

INPO discussed an on-going project with IBM to determine if current training techniques will be 

effective in the 2015 – 2020 timeframe. Interviews have been conducted with chief nuclear 

officers, site vice presidents, training managers and plant managers. Items of interest include: 

 How are current staffing issues resolved? 

 How do we train the next generation of plant operators? 

 How can we expedite the training process? 

 How do we leverage technology? 

 What opportunities are available for standardized training? 

 Can training delivery be centralized? 

 What can be done with outside institutions to have more people in the pipeline? 

Additional areas being considered for further study include standardized radiation protection 

training, certification of instructors, and master instructor certification. 

It is expected that future training will involve more electronic learning, more partnerships with 

educational institutions, and more use of computer capabilities, i.e., blogs and avatars. 

NANTel Update

The National Academy for Nuclear Training e-Learning (NANTeL) system is a national webbased system that provides standardized, generic training for the supplemental workforce that 

satisfies the industry, the insurer, and the NRC. All U.S. nuclear power plants have agreed to 

accept training delivered through NANTeL. NANTel training is available via the Web 

(https://www.nantel.org/NANTELprod/nanteldefault.asp) and uses the personnel access data 

system (PADS). INPO and the National Academy for Nuclear Training manage and operate the 

system for the U.S. nuclear industry. 

To date, more than 50,000 workers have completed one or more of the 185 NANTeL courses, 

have completed more than 114,000 individual courses, have completed 3400 courses in one 

day, and have throughput rate for radiation worker/general employee training of 94%. Most of 
U.S. nuclear power plants have site specific protected access/general employee training in the 

NANTeL catalog. The NANTeL system has a reliability factor of greater than 99%. 

Other Items of Mutual Interest Related to Training 

Due to several personnel changes, delays have been experienced in updating the INPO exam 

bank; however, INPO indicated they are working off the backlog. INPO is currently determining 

how to make exam bank data input less labor intensive and more electronic. 

INPO and NRC discussed an apparent declining trend in operator exam performance. The 

apparent trend was initially discussed during the December 11, 2007 Operator Licensing Focus 

Group Meeting (ML073511714) in the form of student throughput and examination level of 

difficulty. 

Exam performance items discussed included: 

The NRC reported that an evaluation of licensed operator training throughput and 

examination pass rates had been conducted. Based on that evaluation, the NRC 

presented average licensed operator initial written examination grades for reactor 

operators and senior reactor operators and pass rates for licensed operator initial 

operating exams. The data presented did not indicate any significant trends. Grades on 

the licensed operator initial examinations have been fairly constant from 1991 through 

2007. 

The NRC discussed expectations regarding the use of open references during licensed 

operator initial exams (the written exam is supposed to be closed book). 

The NRC noted that the initial written examination is an evaluation of the level of 

knowledge of an applicant and how well the applicant is able to recall, comprehend, and 

answer/resolve issues and problems. The initial examination is not a test of an 

applicant’s ability to answer a question by looking up information in reference materials. 

The NRC noted that student throughput issues could be a result of individual academic 

issues, differences in individual experience, or weaknesses in the training process. 

Additional discussion topics included: 

Are initial licensing examinations testing operators the way in which they are 

expected to operate? 

How is the knowledge/experience base of the control room crews affecting 

performance? 

How does meeting minimum time on site guidance affect the stress level and exam 

performance of licensed applicants? 

Knowledge management and transfer (KM) were discussed by the NRC and INPO. NRC has 

identified KM champions in each office and has established several “Communities of Practice.” 

INPO, working with NEI and the industry, has participated in two KM working meetings over the 

past three years. INPO discussed a June 2008 knowledge transfer and retention working 

meeting and invited NRC to participate in a Best Practices symposium to be held in October. 
INPO and NRC discussed the application of requalification examination practices that reinforce 

a set of common quality standards (uniform conditions) as discussed in ACAD 07-001, 

“Guidelines for Continuing Training of Licensed Personnel” and during previous INPO/NRC 

Coordination Meetings INPO noted uniform conditions are being implemented by the industry. 

INPO also noted that each operations Accreditation team Visit (ATV) includes an individual that 

has had recent experience writing requalification examinations using uniform condition 

principles. During the period of implementation, no significant issues have been identified. 

INPO and NRC discussed licensed operator and instructor staffing. Topics included what the 

industry can do to improve the training pipeline for all positions and what impact the new working 

hour requirements will have on utilities. INPO stated that during team visits, work force planning 

is a major area of evaluation. Areas evaluated include staffing plans, future staffing needs, 

training resource requirements, and the size of future classes. 

Closing Remarks 

In closing, it was decided that additional meetings related to the licensing and examination of 

reactor operators will be held. No final positions were taken during the meeting. 

CONTACT: R. Pelton, NRO/DCIP/COLP 

301-415-1028 

ADAMS Package Accession Number: 

Meeting Notice Accession Number: ML080770109 

Meeting Handout Accession Numbers: ML081130296 

Meeting Summary Accession Number: ML081130273 

DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC S Hansell, RI 

COLP Reading File M Widmann, RII 

IOLB Reading File H Peterson, RIII 

RidsNroDcip R Lantz, RIV 

RidsNroDcipColp K O= Donohue, RII 

RidsEDOMailCenter Robert Meyer 

RidsNrrAdro Timothy Dennis 

RidsNrrDirs 

RidsNrrDirsIolb 

N Salgado 

S Guenther 

ADAMS Accession No. ML081130273 

OFFICE COLP/DCIP C/IOLB/DIRS D/DIRS/NRR 

NAME R Pelton N Salgado FBrown 

DATE 

 04/24/2008 04/28/2008 04/29/2008 

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
ATTENDEES

INPO-NRC Coordination Meeting, April 10, 2008

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations

Phil McCullough, Vice President, Training and Accreditation 

Kent Hamlin, Director, Accreditation 

George Hutcherson, Director, Industry and External Relations 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Bruce Boger, Associate Director for Operating Reactor Oversight and Licensing, NRR 

Glenn Tracy, Director, Division of Construction, Inspection, and Operational Programs, NRO 

John Tappert, Deputy Director, Division of Construction, Inspection, and Operational Programs, 

NRO 

Frederick Brown, Director, division of Inspection and Regional Support 

Nancy L. Salgado, Chief, Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch, NRR 

Michael Junge, Chief, Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch, NRO 

Samuel Hansell, Chief, Operations Branch, RI 

Malcolm Widmann, Chief, Operations Branch, RII 

Hironori Peterson, Chief, Operations Branch, RIII 

Ryan Lantz, Chief, Operations Branch, RIV (connected via telephone bridge) 

Fred Guenther, NRR 

Richard Pelton, NRO 

Richard Baldwin, RII 

Patricia Eng, FSME 

Ilyne Miller, NRR 

Mark Lintz, NRO 

Larry Vick, NRR 

John Munro, NRR 

George Usova, NRR 

Other

Robert Meyer, Professional Reactor Operator Society (connected via telephone bridge) 

Timothy Dennis, ANS Standards Committee
AGENDA FOR PUBLIC MEETING 

WITH INPO ON TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION 

April 10, 2008 

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

One White Flint North 

11555 Rockville Pike -- Room O 16 B2 

Rockville, MD 20852-2738 

TOPIC LEAD 

• Introductions and Opening Remarks NRC/ INPO 

• Public Input Public 

• Accreditation Update INPO 

o Renewals 

o Probation status 

o NRC observers 

• New Reactor Accreditation INPO/NRC 

• Regulatory Issues NRC 

• Future of Training INPO 

• NANTel Update INPO 

• Other Items of Mutual Interest Related to Training INPO/NRC 

o Exam Bank 

o Exam Performance 

o New Reactor Operator Licensing Examination Initiative 

o Knowledge Management 

o Staffing concerns 

• Public Questions and Answers Public 

• Closing Remarks NRC/INPO