May 23, 2012 

MEMORANDUM TO: Ho Nieh, Director 

Division of Inspection and Regional Support 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

FROM: John McHale, Chief /RA/

 Operator Licensing and Training Branch 

Division of Inspection and Regional Support 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF THE 2012 ANNUAL U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY 

COMMISSION/INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR POWER OPERATIONS 

COORDINATION MEETING ON TRAINING-RELATED ISSUES 

On April 26, 2012, 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 and other initiatives. Participants included representatives of the NRC=s Office of 

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR); Office of New Reactors (NRO); Regional Operator 

Licensing Branch Chiefs; INPO=s Training and Accreditation and Industry Evaluation Divisions, 

and three members of the public (participating via telephone conference bridge). 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 and INPO provided opening remarks. As part of the opening remarks, INPO 

and NRC discussed organizational changes since the 2011 Coordination Meeting, including the 

addition of two NRC nominees to the National Nuclear Accrediting Board. 

Accreditation Update

INPO conducted 36 Accreditation Visits and 38 Accreditation Boards in 2011. NRC observed 

two Accreditation Team Visits (ATV) and observed seven of twelve accrediting boards during 

calendar 2011. 

INPO reported good industry support, in the form of peer members, for ATVs. INPO continued 

to provide mid-cycle accreditation assistance to facilities to improve facility training programs 

and the implementation of training. 

INPO issued Appendix A to ACAD 10-001, “Guidelines for Initial Training and Qualification of 

Licensed Operators.” The purpose of the appendix is to highlight best practices associated with 
H. Nieh - 2 -

qualifying licensed operators. This appendix includes topics such as training program oversight, 

candidate selection, program design, preparing license candidates, initial operator training 

progression and oversight, examination strategy, examination validation, and operations training 

to support the station operations pipeline. 

INPO conducted an Examination Developer Course three times last year to help licensees 

better understand examination standards in NUREG 1021, “Operator Licensing Examination 

Standards for Power Reactors” The NRC requested to be informed of any insights learned from 

teaching the course that could result in improved clarity of the NUREG. 

New Reactor Accreditation Update 

INPO conducted the first new reactor ATV at Vogtle 3 and 4 in October, 2011. The National 

Nuclear Accrediting Board accredited the Vogtle 3 and 4 Operations training programs in March 

2012 in accordance with ACAD 08-001R1, The Process for Initial Accreditation of Training in the 

Nuclear Power Industry. As outlined in ACAD 08-001, additional accreditation visits focused on 

evaluating the implementation and evaluation phases of training at Vogtle 3 and 4 are planned 

to begin later this year, and NRC personnel will be notified as these visits are scheduled. Upon 

completion of regulatory observations of the implementation and evaluation phases, the 

requirements of 10CFR50.120 will have been successfully implemented. V. C. Summer 

Operations training programs are scheduled for an ATV in June 2012. 

New reactor initial accreditation typically occurs three to four years prior to fuel load with 

renewal of accreditation one year prior to fuel load. 

INPO is participating on an NEI conference committee to prepare for accrediting of training for 

utilities involved in small modular reactors. 

Regulatory Issues

The NRC issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in response to Recommendation 

Eight of the Fukushima Near-Term Task Force. This recommendation endorsed the 

strengthening and integration of emergency operating procedures, severe accident 

management guidelines, and extensive damage mitigation guidelines using the rulemaking 

process. The NRC invited INPO and industry comments during the 60 day comment period. 

The NRC discussed insights from implementing a revision to Inspection Procedure 71111.11, 

“Licensed Operator Requalification Program” which was updated in December 2011. The intent 

of the revision was to enhance the focus on operator performance within the scope of inspection 

activities. 

The NRC issued Regulatory Guide 1.149, “Nuclear Power Plant Simulation Facilities for Use in 

Operator Training and License Examinations and Applicant Experience Requirements,” revision 

4, in April 2011. The NRC is encouraging licensees to voluntarily adopt the new revision. The 

NRC reported that about half of the plant reference simulators plan to be using the scenariobased testing approach by the end of 2012. 

The NRC mentioned that work continues to update ANSI 3.4 “American National Standard for 

Medical Certification and Monitoring of Personnel Requiring Operator Licenses for Nuclear 
H. Nieh - 3 -

Power Plants” to incorporate advances in medicine and medical terminology and to provide 

additional clarity to specific medical requirements. 

Operator Fundamentals 

INPO revised the plant evaluation process to better focus on operator fundamentals and 

conservative decision making in the control room. INPO reported that the revised process 

makes training scenarios in the simulator more realistic and challenging. Specifically, scenarios 

run longer, include scripted distracters, and limit available crew size to actual shift staffing 

levels. The revised process evaluates more crews and more positions, and adds post scenario 

technical interviews during plant walkthroughs with licensed and non-licensed operators. 

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 and the insurer. INPO continues to see benefits from the centralized 

learning system and reported that the number of course completions increased about 100,000 

in 2011. 

Other Items of Mutual Interest Related to Training 

There was a short discussion of how the new Fukushima requirements, hardened containment 

vents and spent fuel pool instrumentation, would be incorporated into licensed operator training. 

Robert Meyer from the Professional Reactor Operator Society discussed his top three concerns 

that impact licensed operators, specifically, new requirements from the Fukushima accident, 

initial licensing training, and the impact of the Fatigue Rule (Subpart I of 10 CFR 26, “Fitness for 

Duty Programs”). 

INPO mentioned the industry effort to revise the knowledge and abilities catalogs (NUREG’s 

1122 and 1123) to update the catalogs. 

Closing Remarks

In closing, it was decided that additional meetings related to the training and qualification of 

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

CONTACT: David Allsopp, NRR/DIRS/IOLB 

301-415-3073
 

Operator Fundamentals 

INPO revised the plant evaluation process to better focus on operator fundamentals and 

conservative decision making in the control room. INPO reported that the revised process 

makes training scenarios in the simulator more realistic and challenging. Specifically, scenarios 

run longer, include scripted distracters, and limit available crew size to actual shift staffing 

levels. The revised process evaluates more crews and more positions, and adds post scenario 

technical interviews during plant walkthroughs with licensed and non-licensed operators. 

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 and the insurer. INPO continues to see benefits from the centralized 

learning system and reported that the number of course completions increased about 100,000 

in 2011. 

Other Items of Mutual Interest Related to Training 

There was a short discussion of how the new Fukushima requirements, hardened containment 

vents and spent fuel pool instrumentation, would be incorporated into licensed operator training. 

Robert Meyer from the Professional Reactor Operator Society discussed his top three concerns 

that impact licensed operators, specifically, new requirements from the Fukushima accident, 

initial licensing training, and the impact of the Fatigue Rule (Subpart I of 10 CFR 26, “Fitness for 

Duty Programs”). 

INPO mentioned the industry effort to revise the knowledge and abilities catalogs (NUREG’s 

1122 and 1123) to update the catalogs. 

Closing Remarks

In closing, it was decided that additional meetings related to the training and qualification of 

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

CONTACT: David Allsopp, NRR/DIRS/IOLB 

301-415-3073 

DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC L Dudes, NRO RidsNrrOdResource 

COLP Reading File B Boger, NRR D Jackson, RI 

IOLB Reading File J McHale, NRR M Widmann, RI 

RidsNroDcip M Junge, NRO M Haire, RIV 

RidsNroDcipColp RidsNrrDirsIolb C Phillips, RII 

RidsEDOMailCenter RidsNrrDirs M Franke, RII 

ADAMS Accession No: ML12137A856 

OFFICE DIRS/IOLB DIRS/IOLB 

NAME DAllsopp JMcHale 

DATE 05/ 22/2012 5/23/2012 

 Official Record Copy 
H. Nieh - 4 -

 ATTENDEES

INPO-NRC Coordination Meeting, April 26, 2012

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations

David Igyarto, Vice President Industry Training and Accreditation, and Executive Director of the 

National Academy 

Steve Johnson, Director, Accreditation 

Elizabeth Brattin, Director, Industry Learning 

Mike Llewellyn, Accreditation Team Manager 

Kerry Wright, Accreditation Team Manager 

Tammy Love, Manager-Operations 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Bruce Boger, Deputy Director for Reactor Safety Programs, NRR 

Laura Dudes, Director, Division of Construction Inspection and Operational Programs, NRO 

Ho Nieh, Director, Division of Inspection and Regional Support, NRR 

John McHale, Chief, Operator Licensing and Training Branch, NRR 

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

Donald Jackson, Chief, Operations Branch, RI 

Charles Phillips, Acting Chief, Operations Branch, RIII 

David Allsopp, Operator Licensing and Training Branch, NRR 

Richard Pelton, Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch, NRO 

John Munro, Operator Licensing and Training Branch, NRR 

Mark Lintz, Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch, NRO 

Chris Cowdrey, Operator Licensing and Training Branch, NRR 

Sean Currie, Operator Licensing and Training Branch, NRR 

Other

Dave Mullen, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 

David Klugh, NuScale Power, LLC 

Robert Meyer, Professional Reactor Operator Society 

 

ENCLOSURE 1 
H. Nieh 5

AGENDA FOR PUBLIC MEETING 

WITH INPO ON TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION 

April 26, 2012 

12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

One White Flint North 

11555 Rockville Pike -- Room O-13D20 

Rockville, MD 20852 

TOPICS 

● Introductions and Opening Remarks 

● Public Input 

● Accreditation Update

● New Reactor Accreditation Update 

● Regulatory Issues 

● Industry Learning Initiatives 

● Operator Fundamentals 

● Other Items of Mutual Interest Related to Training 

● Public Questions and Answers 

● Closing Remarks 

ENCLOSURE 2