July 2, 2012

MEMORANDUM TO: Michael Junge, Chief

Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch

Division of Construction, Inspection

 & Operational Programs

Office of New Reactors

FROM: Jim Kellum /RA/

Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch

Division of Construction, Inspection

 & Operational Programs

Office of New Reactors

SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF JUNE 19, 2012, PUBLIC MEETING WITH AP-1000 

OWNERS GROUP ON NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING

On June 19, 2012, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a category 2 

public meeting with the AP-1000 Owners Group (APOG) on New Reactor Operator Licensing at 

the Region II Offices in Atlanta, GA 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 discussed the ongoing progress in developing and administering 

effective new reactor operator licensing examinations.

The NRC staff presented their observation of Summer operator candidates on the 

Westinghouse simulator at Cranberry Township, PA the week of March 26, 2012. The NRC 

sent five qualified examiners who evaluated the need for changes and recommended that only 

minor enhancements be made to the NUREG-1021 Examiner Standard Section 303 reactor 

operator and senior reactor operator (SRO) Competency Grading Worksheet forms. Additional 

discussion included evaluation of the SRO in a command and control role and the number of 

simulator malfunction available so overlap between exams wouldn’t be a concern. 

The NRC staff and APOG discussed the mock simulator examination development including 

progress on scenario development and scheduling. A mock simulator exam using instructors as 

license candidates is tentatively scheduled for the week of August 20, 2012, using the Vogtle 3 

and 4 simulators. It was determined that since the sample plans based on draft NUREG-2103, 

“Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators, Pressurized-Water 

Reactors, Westinghouse AP-1000”, which were discussed at the last meeting, worked well and 

writing the exam questions would be largely the same, that no written mock exam would be 

necessary. 

CONTACTS: Jim Kellum, NRO/COLP

(301) 415-5305

Jim.Kellum@nrc.gov
M. Junge - 2 -

It was also determined that since only AP-1000 plants are under construction in the immediate 

future that the NRC/NEI working group should be incorporated in to the quarterly NRC/APOG 

meeting. 

The NRC staff and APOG discussed the industry developed critical tasks for AP-1000 and 

agreed significant progress has been made. The APOG was going to incorporate NRC 

comments on their existing list and also add critical tasks relating to shutdown operations, and 

abnormal operations, if applicable. The critical tasks will be used for exam development per 

NUREG-1021 including its tentative new section (ES-401N) for AP-1000 exams. There was a 

limited discussion on the conduct of job performance measures (JPMs) with the plant in a 

partially built condition. The JPM topic will be added to the next quarterly meeting agenda 

tentatively scheduled for September 18, 2012 at NRC Region II in Atlanta. 

Action items for both the APOG and the NRC were assigned and will be reviewed at the next 

meeting. Tentative agenda items for the next meeting were also listed. The NRC agreed to 

provide as many examiners as possible to evaluate the simulator mock exams at Vogtle 3 and 4 

and all agreed the number of observers would be limited due to space availability in the 

simulator. 

Questions and comments raised by meeting participants will be evaluated by the NRC staff.

Enclosures: As stated
M. Junge - 2 -

It was also determined that since only AP-1000 plants are under construction in the immediate 

future that the NRC/NEI working group should be incorporated in to the quarterly NRC/APOG 

meeting. 

The NRC staff and APOG discussed the industry developed critical tasks for AP-1000 and 

agreed significant progress has been made. The industry was going to incorporate NRC 

comments on their existing list and also add critical tasks relating to shutdown operations, and 

abnormal operations, if applicable. These critical tasks will then be used for exam development 

per NUREG-1021 including its tentative new section (ES-401N) for AP-1000 exams. There was 

a limited discussion on the conduct of job performance measures (JPMs) with the plant in a 

partially built condition. The JPM topic will be added to the next quarterly meeting agenda 

tentatively scheduled for September 18, 2012 at NRC Region II in Atlanta. 

Action items for both the industry and the NRC were assigned and will be reviewed at the next 

meeting. Tentative agenda items for the next meeting were also listed. The NRC agreed to 

provide as many examiners as possible to evaluate the simulator mock exams at Vogtle 3 and 4 

and all agreed the number of observers would be limited due to space availability in the 

simulator. 

Questions and comments raised by meeting participants will be evaluated by the NRC staff.

Enclosures: As stated

DISTRIBUTION: 

Region II Receptionist (hard copy) RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsOgcMailCenter

RidsEDOMailCenter RidsNroDcipColp RidsNroDcip

RidsNroOd JLuehman MJunge

DRoberts PWilson, RI DLew, RI

DJackson. RI HChristensen, RII JMoorman, RII

RDevercelly, TTC JMunday, RII HChristensen, RII

MWidmann, RII MFranke, RII LWert, RII

COgle, RII SReynolds, RIII HPeterson, RIII

KO’Brien, RIII CPederson, RIII AHowell, RIV

AVegel, RIV TBlount, RIV MHaire, RIV

MMiller, HRTD SCochrum, TTC REgli, TTC

SRutledge. TTC

ADAMS Accession No.: ML12178A385 NRC-001

Office NRO/DCIP/COLP NRO/DCIP/COLP: BC

Name JKellum MJunge

Date 6/26/2012 07/02/2012

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
ENCLOSURE 1

NRC/APOG AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP ON 

NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING

June 19, 2012

Name Organization

Mike Junge NRC / NRO

Mark Franke NRC / R-II

Jim Kellum NRC / NRO

R. Scott Egli NRC/TTC

Malcolm Widmann NRC / RII

Charles Sawyer Duke Energy

Bill Altic Westinghouse

Tony Spring Southern Nuclear

W. Tom Ryan TVA

Tim Clouser Luminant

Matt Schmader Southern Nuclear

Richard DeVercelly NRC / TTC

Andy Barbee SCANA

Phil Capehart NRC / R-II

Tim Dennis ANSI3.5 Working Group

Michael Magyar NRC / R-II

Michael Sontag B & W/mpower

Derek Edmunds WTSI

Leon Ray Southern Nuclear

LaDonna Suggs NRC / R-II
ENCLOSURE 2

AGENDA FOR THE CATEGORY 2 PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE

AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP ON NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Marquis One Tower, 

Executive Conference Room R2-1486-32p (14th floor)

245 Peachtree Center Avenue N.E.

Atlanta, GA 30303

TOPIC LEAD

Introductions and Opening Remarks NRC/APOG

Public Input Public

Discussion of 3/26 Cranberry Simulator Observation NRC

Examination Development (written, operating and schedule) NRC/APOG

AP-1000 Simulator Development NRC/APOG

Discussion on critical tasks NRC/APOG

Miscellaneous/Emergent Topics NRC/APOG

Public Input Public

Summary / Conclusion / Action Item Review NRC/APOG