February 24, 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 FEBRUARY 2, 2012, PUBLIC MEETING WITH 

AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP ON NEW REACTOR OPERATOR 

LOCENSING 

On February 2, 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. Attachments 1 and 2 are the draft sample plans prepared by NRC staff using 

draft NUREG-2103, “Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators, 

Pressurized-Water Reactors, Westinghouse AP-1000” (ML11307A367), and NUREG-1021, 

Operator Licensing Examiner Standards (Revision 9, Supplement 1). This meeting discussed 

the ongoing progress in developing and administering effective new reactor operator licensing 

examinations. 

This meeting discussed the outcome of the NRC examiner’s observation of Vogtle and Summer 

operator candidates on the Westinghouse simulator at Cranberry Township, PA in November of 

2011. The NRC sent four qualified examiners who determined that only minor enhancements 

are needed to the NUREG-1021 Examiner Standard Section 303 RO and SRO Competency 

Grading Worksheet forms. These minor changes were discussed at the meeting and included 

such things as adjusting weighing factors and competency wording for AOP and EOP entry 

conditions. These changes would also be applicable to the legacy plants. 

The APOG was also to discuss any significant changes to the Conduct of Ops Procedure that 

had been incorporated since the November simulator observation. The APOG stated that no 

significant changes had been made since November but they expected each utility to take the 

generic Westinghouse Conduct of Ops Procedure and modify it to align with their fleet 

procedures. There was some discussion on the utilities strengthening the aspect of SRO 

command and control. 

CONTACT: Jim Kellum, NRO/DCIP 

 301 415-5305
M. Junge - 2 - 

The NRC staff presented for discussion and comment the pilot examination sample plans based 

on draft NUREG-2103, “Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators, 

Pressurized-Water Reactors, Westinghouse AP-1000” and NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing 

Examiner Standards. Two Region II examiners independently developed a sample plan and 

stated they were completed without any substantial difficulty using NUREG-2103. The sample 

plan developers detailed the development of the sample plans and entertained questions 

regarding the development. Region II is going to develop the sample plan generator for use for 

AP-1000 plants. 

The NRC staff and APOG discussed the critical tasks for AP-1000 and exam administration. 

After much discussion including identified risk important human actions, the industry agreed to 

develop a list of critical tasks for the AP-1000. These critical tasks will then be used for exam 

development per NUREG-1021 including its tentative new section (ES-401N) for AP-1000 

exams. The discussion also migrated to a limited discussion on the conduct of job performance 

measures (JPMs) with the plant in a partially built condition. Different possible mechanisms for 

conducting JPMs were considered and this topic was left for later consideration. 

The NRC staff and APOG agreed on the need for periodic meetings to continue to gauge and 

develop the exam process. A periodicity of quarterly for the meetings was deemed to be 

acceptable. Action items for both the industry and the NRC would be reviewed at these 

meetings. The NRC also agreed to send additional examiners to observe Vogtle and Summer 

simulator training for further input on how best to evaluate the license candidates on the 

simulator. The NRC agreed to have a closed public meeting within the next six months on 

exam writing for the AP-1000 exam. This meeting will be closed due to the use of proprietary 

information. 

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

Enclosures: As stated 
M. Junge - 2 - 

The NRC staff presented for discussion and comment the pilot examination sample plans based 

on draft NUREG-2103, “Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators, 

Pressurized-Water Reactors, Westinghouse AP-1000” and NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing 

Examiner Standards. Two Region II examiners independently developed a sample plan and 

stated they were completed without any substantial difficulty using NUREG-2103. The sample 

plan developers detailed the development of the sample plans and entertained questions 

regarding the development. Region II is going to develop the sample plan generator for use for 

AP-1000 plants. 

The NRC staff and APOG discussed the critical tasks for AP-1000 and exam administration. 

After much discussion including identified risk important human actions, the industry agreed to 

develop a list of critical tasks for the AP-1000. These critical tasks will then be used for exam 

development per NUREG-1021 including its tentative new section (ES-401N) for AP-1000 

exams. The discussion also migrated to a limited discussion on the conduct of job performance 

measures (JPMs) with the plant in a partially built condition. Different possible mechanisms for 

conducting JPMs were considered and this topic was left for later consideration. 

The NRC staff and APOG agreed on the need for periodic meetings to continue to gauge and 

develop the exam process. A periodicity of quarterly for the meetings was deemed to be 

acceptable. Action items for both the industry and the NRC would be reviewed at these 

meetings. The NRC also agreed to send additional examiners to observe Vogtle and Summer 

simulator training for further input on how best to evaluate the license candidates on the 

simulator. The NRC agreed to have a closed public meeting within the next six months on 

exam writing for the AP-1000 exam. This meeting will be closed due to the use of proprietary 

information. 

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

Enclosures: As stated 

DISTRIBUTION: 

PUBLIC 

COLP Reading File 

RidsNroOd 

RidsNroDcip 

RidsNroDcipColp 

RidsEDOMailCenter 

RidsOgcMailCenter 

RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter 

JLuehman 

MJunge 

FBrown 

JMcHale 

DRoberts, RI 

MDapas, RI 

PWilson, RI 

DJackson, RI 

JMonday, RII 

HChristensen, RII 

RCroteau, RII 

LWert, RII 

MWidmann, RII 

CCasto, RII 

JMoorman, RII 

COgle, RII 

MFranke, RII 

ABoland, RIII 

HPeterson, RIII 

CPederson, RIII 

KO’Brien, RIII 

AHowell, RIV 

AVegel, RIV 

MHaire, RIV 

MMiller, HRTD 

SCochrum, TTC 

RDevercelly, TTC 

REgli, TTC 

SRutledge. TTC 

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

ADAMS Accession Number: 

OFFICE DCIP/COLP DCIP/COLP: BC 

NAME JKellum MJunge 

DATE 2/23/2012 2/24/2012 

 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY 
NRC/APOG AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP ON 

NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING 

February 2, 2012 

Name Organization 

Mike Junge NRC / NRO 

Bruno Caballero NRC / R-II 

Jim Kellum NRC / NRO 

Ron Aiello NRC / R-II 

Mark Franke NRC / R-II 

Charles Sawyer Duke Energy 

Paul Hippely Westinghouse 

Thomas Kuhar Westinghouse

Tony Spring Southern Nuclear

Mark Riches NRC / RII

Charlton Salter Southern Nuclear 

R. Scott Egli NRC/TTC 

W. Tom Ryan TVA 

Joel Mundayi NRC / RII 

Dan Meekhoff Dominion 

Tim Clouser Luminant 

Gregory Sparks MNES 

David Lanyi NRC / RII 

Amanda Toth NRC / RII 

Michael Meeks NRC / RII 

Malcolm Widmann NRC / RII 

Dave Oliver NRC / RIII 

Gerald Laska NRC / RII 

Mark Bates NRC / RII 

Richard DeVercelly NRC / TTC 

Donald Jackson NRC / RI 

Neil Constance SCANA 

Paul Mothena SCANA 

Raymond Patterson SCANA 

Wesley Sparkman Southern Nuclear 

 
AGENDA FOR THE CATEGORY 2 PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE 

AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP ON NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING 

Thursday, February 2, 2012 

8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Marquis One Tower, [Room 945] 

245 Peachtree Center Avenue N.E. 

Atlanta, GA 30303 

TOPIC LEAD

Introductions and Opening Remarks NRC/APOG 

Public Input Public 

Discussion of Cranberry Simulator Observation NRC/APOG 

Review APOG Conduct of Ops Procedure APOG 

Review of mock sample plans NRC/APOG 

Public Input Public 

Lunch 11:30 – 12:15 

Review of mock sample plans(cont.)/discuss challenges NRC/APOG 

Discussion on critical tasks NRC/APOG 

Discussion on potential changes to NUREG-1021 NRC/APOG 

Public Questions and Answers Public 

Summary / Conclusion / Action Item Review NRC/APOG