October 8, 2015 

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 SEPTEMBER 22, 2015, PUBLIC MEETING WITH 

THE NEI OPERATOR LICENSING FOCUS GROUP FOR NEW 

REACTORS 

On September 22, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a category 

2 public meeting with the NEI Operator Licensing Focus Group on New Reactor Operator 

Licensing at the NRC Headquarters in Rockville, MD. This meeting is typically held on a 

quarterly basis to discuss scheduling and the ongoing issues and challenges to administering 

licensed operator examinations for new reactors. Enclosure 1 lists the attendees at the 

meeting. Enclosure 2 is the meeting agenda. 

The General Electric (GE) representative requested information from the meeting attendees on 

the process used and lessons learned in developing the Knowledge and Abilities (K/A) catalogs 

for their new designs. GE would like to apply the same process and lessons learned in 

developing a K/A catalog for the Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) design. 

GE was informed there was a K/A catalog for the GE Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) 

design; NUREG-2104 that may be useful as a starting point for developing the ESBWR catalog. 

A general group discussion provided background information on development of the K/A 

catalogs for both the AP1000 and ABWR designs during which the APOG offered additional 

insights on the development process based on past lessons learned. It was also recommended 

that the development begin at least three years prior to the catalog being needed. 

The AP-1000 draft K/A catalog, (NUREG-2103), is currently out for public comment; the 

question was raised regarding when the catalog would be revised to incorporate comments and 

the final catalog issued. Originally, the final NUREG-2103 revision 0 was to be issued after the 

first refueling outage. With the delays in projected fuel load dates, VC Summer proposed 

finalizing the catalog after the third operator licensing class exam. Vogtle asked when the 

importance ratings of the K/As would be re-rated. After much discussion it was agreed this 

would be a topic for the next meeting. 

CONTACT: Jim Kellum, NRO/DCIP 

 (301) 415-5305 
M. Junge - 2 - 

Neither VC Summer nor Vogtle have a plant reference simulator. Vogtle has submitted a 

request for a commission approved simulator (CAS) as allowed under 10 CFR 55.46(b) and that 

request is in the early stages of review by the NRC staff. The VC Summer CAS request has 

been suspended. VC Summer outlined their plans for operator licensing exams in 2016. They 

plan on an NRC written exam in April 2016 and an operating exam sometime later, after 

simulator issues are resolved. The NRC pointed out that this approach would result in 

divergence of the NRC written exam and operating test dates by more than 30 days, and that 

the divergence has not been approved at this time. Vogtle then outlined their plans for NRC 

operator licensing exams in 2016. Vogtle plans to have their simulator ready to support 

licensing exams for an April 2016 exam and this will allow the written and operating portions of 

the exam to be administered within 30 days as required by NUREG-1021. They plan on a 

second exam in October 2016. 

This NRC/NEI/APOG meeting has been held on a quarterly basis for more than five years. Two 

of the last four meetings have been cancelled due to lack of topics to justify a meeting. A 

discussion was held regarding the appropriate frequency for these meetings and also if NEI 

should continue to be involved since their participation at the meetings has been minimal. It 

was determined that the meeting periodicity remain quarterly and to cancel the meeting if there 

are not sufficient topics to justify the meeting, with the stipulation that two successive meeting 

should not be cancelled. Regarding NEI participation, the industry did not reach consensus on 

their participation. The NRC stated that NEI’s role with these meetings with APOG was an 

issue for industry to resolve. 

The date of the next quarterly meeting is tentatively scheduled for January or February 2016 

with the actual date to be determined by NRC staff and the APOG. 
M. Junge - 2 - 

Neither VC Summer nor Vogtle have a plant reference simulator. Vogtle has submitted a 

request for a commission approved simulator (CAS) as allowed under 10 CFR 55.46(b) and that 

request is in the early stages of review by the NRC staff. The VC Summer CAS request has 

been suspended. VC Summer outlined their plans for operator licensing exams in 2016. They 

plan on an NRC written exam in April 2016 and an operating exam sometime later, after 

simulator issues are resolved. The NRC pointed out that this approach would result in 

divergence of the NRC written exam and operating test dates by more than 30 days, and that 

the divergence has not been approved at this time. Vogtle then outlined their plans for NRC 

operator licensing exams in 2016. Vogtle plans to have their simulator ready to support 

licensing exams for an April 2016 exam and this will allow the written and operating portions of 

the exam to be administered within 30 days as required by NUREG-1021. They plan on a 

second exam in October 2016. 

This NRC/NEI/APOG meeting has been held on a quarterly basis for more than five years. Two 

of the last four meetings have been cancelled due to lack of topics to justify a meeting. A 

discussion was held regarding the appropriate frequency for these meetings and also if NEI 

should continue to be involved since their participation at the meetings has been minimal. It 

was determined that the meeting periodicity remain quarterly and to cancel the meeting if there 

are not sufficient topics to justify the meeting, with the stipulation that two successive meeting 

should not be cancelled. Regarding NEI participation, the industry did not reach consensus on 

their participation. The NRC stated that NEI’s role with these meetings with APOG was an 

issue for industry to resolve. 

The date of the next quarterly meeting is tentatively scheduled for January or February 2016 

with the actual date to be determined by NRC staff and the APOG. 

Enclosures: 

1. NRC/APOG AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP 

2. Meeting Agenda 

DISTRIBUTION: 

See next page 

ADAMS Accession Number: 

OFFICE DCIP/COLP DCIP/COLP BC 

NAME JKellum MJunge 

DATE 10/7/2015 10/8/2015 

 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY 
DISTRIBUTION: 

Region II Receptionist (hard copy) 

RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter 

RidsOgcMailCenter 

RidsEDOMailCenter 

RidsNroDcipColp 

RidsNroDcip 

RidsNroOd 

RidsOpaMailResource 

GSuber, RI 

DLew, RI 

DJackson. RI 

JTrapp, RI 

AGody, RII 

MMiller, RII 

GMcCoy, RII 

EGuthrie, RII 

LWert, RII 

LDudes, RII 

JYerokun, RII 

HPeterson, RIII 

KO’Brien, RIII 

DRoberts, RIII 

MShuaibi, RIII 

JClark, RIV 

KKennedy, RIV 

VGaddy, RIV 

AVegel, RIV 

SRutledge, TTC 

SCochrum, TTC 

REgli, TTC 

Charles.Sawyer@duke-energy.com 
Enclosure 1 

NRC/APOG AP-1000 OWNERS GROUP ON 

NEW REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING 

SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 

Name Organization 

Gene Guthrie NRC / R-II 

Jim Kellum NRC / NRO 

Charles Sawyer Duke Energy 

Joe DeMarshall NRC / NRO 

Michael Junge NRC / NRO 

Shane Battenfield Wolf Creek 

Melinda Bogart GEH 

Frank Maciuska Westinghouse 

Terry McCool FPL 

Richard Browder Duke Energy 

Al Harris SCE & G 

Christopher Whitfield SNC 

Paul Mothena SCANA 

Jason Weathersby SCANA 

Wes Sparkman SNC 

Bob Hirmanpour SNC 

Greg Crosby SNC 

Gary Olmstead SNC 

Richard Grumbir APOG 

Pat Leary SCANA 

Tim Dennis Member of Public 
Enclosure 2 

AGENDA FOR THE CATEGORY 2 PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE 

NEI LICENSED OPERATOR FOCUS GROUP FOR NEW REACTORS 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 

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

 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

One White Flint Rm, OWFN-09B04 

11545Rockville Pike 

 Rockville, MD 20852 

Bridge Line Information: Phone: (888)946-3508, Passcode 57742 

TOPIC LEAD

Introductions and opening remarks NRC 

Public input Public 

• K/A Catalogs NRC/APOG/GE 

• Update from monthly APOG meetings APOG 

 

• Periodicity and function of these meetings going forward NRC/NEI 

• Miscellaneous/Emergent topics NRC/APOG 

Public input Public 

Summary / Conclusion / Action item review NRC