October 6, 2010 

MEMORANDUM TO: Michael Junge, Chief 

Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch 

Division of Construction and Operational Programs 

Office of New Reactors 

FROM: Richard Pelton /RA for/ 

Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch 

Division of Construction and Operational Programs 

Office of New Reactors 

SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF SEPTEMBER 9, 2010, MEETING WITH THE 

INDUSTRY FOCUS GROUP ON NEW REACTOR OPERATOR 

LICENSING 

On September 9, 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a public 

meeting with the Industry Focus Group on New Reactor Operator Licensing to discuss potential 

changes to the licensed operator examination process. Enclosure 1 lists the attendees at the 

meeting. Enclosure 2 is the meeting agenda. This meeting was the latest in a series intended 

to promote efficient, effective, and consistent preparation and administration of new reactor 

operator licensing examinations. 

The NRC discussed waivers to allow additional validity of the generic fundamentals examination 

(greater than two years) and operator licensing examination waivers to allow additional time 

between the written examination and the operating test. The NRC staff is working with the 

Office of the General Counsel (OGC) to determine if group waivers can be submitted. The NRC 

stated that the waiver process described in NUREG-1021 has not changed. The NRC further 

stated that: 

 licensees should communicate to the NRC the necessity of waivers early in the licensing 

examination process, 

 justification for the waivers must be included, 

 plans for maintaining applicants knowledge and abilities and, 

 applicants receiving a waiver must be enrolled in a continuing training program. 

The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) reported on the plans that are being 

developed for the initial accreditation process. Initial accreditation will be granted by the 

National Nuclear Accrediting Board (NNAB) after the evaluation of the analysis, design and 

development of training. After the granting initial accreditation NNAB, INPO will conduct 

periodic assist visits to evaluate implementation and evaluation of training, management 

oversight of the training, and decisions made related to training. INPO is working with the 

NNAB to formalize the process used to capture the assist visit data and how to report the 

information to the NNAB. 

CONTACT: Rick Pelton, NRO/DCIP 

 (301) 415-1028
M. Junge - 2 - 

The goal of the assist visits is to ensure the training programs listed in 10 CFR 50.120 meet the 

requirements of 10 CFR 50.120 and that the operator training programs are accredited and 

based on a systems approach to training prior to submission of NRC Form 398, “Personnel 

Qualification Statement – Licensee.” The NRC is working with INPO to determine the amount of 

NRC involvement in the assist visits. 

The AP1000 Owner’s Group training committee (APOG) provided a status update of the 

AP1000 knowledge and abilities (K & A) catalog efforts. The APOG reported that NRC 

Headquarters, Region II, and TTC personnel observed recent APOG K & A meetings. The 

APOG stated that continued NRC presence at the meetings is appreciated and makes the K&A 

catalog a better product. The APOG also reported that: 

 Control room workshops will commence December 2010, at the Westinghouse simulator 

facility. Goals of the workshops include determination of the training processes to be 

used, self-checking and peer-checking techniques, effective crew communication 

techniques, and changes to operator evaluation guidance. 

 Draft K&A catalog submittal is on schedule for December 2010. Workshops will 

continue through March 2011. 

 All K & A statements (with respect to bringing the old PWR K & A catalog applicable to 

the AP-1000 design) have been reviewed. 

 Met in July 2010, to re-write Section 1 of the K & A catalog. 

 Met in August 2010, to review recent surveys on importance ratings for RO and SRO 

importance ratings. 

 Planned to meet in September 2010, to complete the final review of the AP-1000 K/A 

catalog. 

 AP1000 training will commence mid-2011 at the Westinghouse simulator in Cranberry, 

PA. The NRC will be invited to attend. 

The South Texas Project Units 3 and 4 Operations Training Manager (STP 3 & 4) provided a 

status update of the ABWR knowledge and abilities (K & A) catalog efforts. STP reported that: 

 STPNOC met with Toshiba representatives in Japan in August, 2010. 

 The final K&A catalog meeting will be held at the STP 3 & 4 training center in October. 

At that time, importance ratings will be reviewed. 

 STPNOC and the APOG training committee plan to meet in November to ensure 

uniformity of the vendor specific K&A catalogs. 

The benefits of conducting a mock examination prior to the operator licensing examination were 

discussed. Instructors would be utilized to test the examination process and to aid in 

determining examination techniques, especially instrument failures. 

In addition to a mock examination, it was agreed that a benchmarking observation trip to a 

facility using a digital control room would be appropriate and useful. Observations would focus 

on command and control, control room communication, and control room operations using a 

highly integrated digital interface. 

Other items discussed at the meeting that will be discussed at a future Industry Focus Group on 

New Reactor Operator Licensing meeting include how instrument failures affect automatic 

actions, one hour technical specification action statements, moving the generic K&A 

knowledges from the K&A catalog to NUREG-1021 given that the K&A catalogs are operator 
M. Junge - 3 - 

knowledge and abilities and NUREG-1021 is the examination process, limited-scope simulators, 

and crew operating experience expectations. 

No final positions were taken during the meeting. The staff agreed to continue working with 

OGC on group versus individual waivers and to discuss how the INPO assist visits will impact 

NRC training inspections. The industry agreed to discuss crew eligibility requirements, provide 

dates of the Westinghouse training, and one hour action statements. The next meeting with the 

Industry Focus Group on New Reactor Operator Licensing is scheduled for November, 17, 

2010.

Enclosures: 

As stated
M. Junge - 3 - 

knowledge and abilities and NUREG-1021 is the examination process, limited-scope simulators, 

and crew operating experience expectations. 

No final positions were taken during the meeting. The staff agreed to continue working with 

OGC on group versus individual waivers and to discuss how the INPO assist visits will impact 

NRC training inspections. The industry agreed to discuss crew eligibility requirements, provide 

dates of the Westinghouse training, and one hour action statements. The next meeting with the 

Industry Focus Group on New Reactor Operator Licensing is scheduled for November, 17, 

2010.

Enclosures: 

As stated 

DISTRIBUTION:

See next page 

ADAMS ACCESSION NO.: ML102780311 NRC-001

OFFICE DCIP/COLP DCIP/COLP: BC

NAME RPelton MJunge (JKellum for)

DATE 10/06/2010 10/06/2010

 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY 
DISTRIBUTION: Summary of September 9, 2010, Meeting with the Industry Focus Group on New Reactor 

Operator Licensing 

PUBLIC

COLP Reading File

RidsNroOd

RidsNroDcip

RidsNroDcipColp

RidsEDOMailCenter

RidsOgcMailCenter

RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter

GTracy

JTappert

MJunge

FBrown

JMcHale

JMunro

DRoberts, RI

MDapas, RI

PWilson, RI

SHansell. RI

JLubinski, RII

HChristensen, RII

RCroteau, RII

LPlisco, RII

MWidmann, RII

VMcCree, RII

AGody, RII

COgle, RII

RBaldwin, RII

RAiello, RII

PCapeheart, RII

ABoland, RIII

HPeterson, RIII

CPederson, RIII

KO’Brien, RIII

CCasto, RIV

RCaniano, RIV

TPruett, RIV

MHaire, RIV

MMiller, HRTD

SCochrum, TTC

RDevercelly, TTC

REgli, TTC

SRutledge. TTC

Michael Llewellyn (LlewellynMD@inpo.org) 

Phil Polefrone (Phillip.polefrone@unistarnuclear.com) 

Scott Bauer (sab@nei.org) 

Charles Sawyer (charles.sawyer@duke-energy.com) 

Rick Hons (richard.hons@pgnmail.com) 

Ted Amundson (x2tamuns@southernco.com) 

Wes Sparkman (wasparkm@southernc0.com) 

Glenn MacDonald (gcmacdonald@stpegs.com) 

Tom Kuhar (kuharte@westinghouse.com) 

Al Koon (akoon@scana.com) 

Mark Paul (mark.paul@dom.com) 

Leonard Kabana (leonard_kabana@mnes-us.com) 

Paul Mothena (pmothena@scana.com) 
ENCLOSURE 1 

Meeting with the Industry Focus Group on 

New Reactor Operator Licensing 

September 9, 2010 

Name Organization

Michael Junge NRC / NRO

Rick Pelton NRC / NRO

Jack McHale NRC / NRR

John Munro NRC / NRR

Chris Cowdrey NRC / NRR

Sean Currie NRC / NRR

James Kellum NRC / NRO

Mark Lintz NRC / NRO

Sam Hansell NRC / RI

Malcolm Widmann NRC / RII

Richard Baldwin NRC / RII

Wes Sparkman Southern Nuclear Company

Scott Bauer NEI

Glenn MacDonald STPNOC

Charles Sawyer Duke

Al Koon SCANA

Michael Llewellyn INPO

Keith Link Dominion

Phil Polefrone Unistar via telephonic bridge

Rick Hons Progress Energy

Leonard Kabana MNES

Ted Amundson Southern Nuclear Company

Bill Freebairn Nucleonics Week

Russ Godwin TVA

Dave Mullen IBEW

Bill Wagner DTE / DECo

Mike Wagner STPNOC

Andy Barbee SCANA

Bob Meyer PROS via telephonic bridge
ENCLOSURE 2 

AGENDA FOR THE CATEGORY 2 PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE 

INDUSTRY FOCUS GROUP ON NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING ISSUES 

September 9, 2010 

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Two White Flint North 

11545 Rockville Pike – Room T-10A1

Rockville, MD 20852 

TOPIC LEAD

Introductions and Opening Remarks NRC/Focus 

Group 

Public Input Public 

Examination Waivers 

Licensing Examinations and GFES NRC

Group versus Individual NRC

Training Observations NRC Operator 

Licensing 

 Examination 

Practice Examination NRC/Focus 

Group 

Examination Format NRC/Focus 

Group 

Knowledge and Ability Catalog Update Focus Group 

Other Items of Mutual Interest Related to Operator Licensing NRC/Focus Group 

Public Questions and Answers Public 

Summary / Conclusion / Action Item Review NRC/ Focus 

Group 
Nuclear Energy Institute Project No. 689 

cc (via email): 

Mr. Anthony Pietrangelo, Vice President 

Regulatory Affairs 

Nuclear Energy Institute 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

arp@nei.org

Mr. Jack Roe 

Nuclear Energy Institute 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

jwr@nei.org

Mike Melton, Senior Project Manager 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

man@nei.org

Alexander Marion, Executive Director 

Nuclear Operations & Engineering 

Nuclear Energy Institute 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

am@nei.org

Mr. James H. Riley, Director 

Engineering 

Nuclear Energy Institute 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

jhr@nei.org

Mr. Jay Thayer, Vice President 

Nuclear Operations 

Nuclear Energy Institute 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

jkt@nei.org

Mr. John Butler, Director 

Safety-focused Regulation 

Nuclear Energy Institute 

1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20006-3708

jcb@nei.org