NRC Generic Letter 1988-09

NRC Generic Letter 1988-009: Pilot Testing of Fundamentals Examination

ML031130438
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Washington Public Power Supply System, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Clinch River, Crane
Issue date:	05/17/1988
From:	Miraglia F J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
GL-88-009, NUDOCS 8805180235
Download: ML031130438 (5)

-UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONWASHINGTON, D. C. 20555May 17, 1988TO LICENSEES OF ALL BOILING-WATER REACTORS AND APPLICANTS FOR A BOILINGWATER REACTOR OPERATORS' LICENSE UNDER 10 CFR 55

SUBJECT: PILOT TESTING OF FUNDAMENTALS EXAMINATION (Generic Letter 88-09 )This letter is to inform facility licensees and potential applicants under10 CFR 55 of a pilot testing program of a fundamentals examination forBoiling Water Reactors (BWRs). The pilot test is to refine the examinationdevelopment methodology, administration, and grading process.. Applicantswho participate in this pilot test and achieve a passing grade of 70 percentor more will receive a waiver under 10 CFR 55.47 of the applicable section ofthe written examination under §55.41 or §55.43.The staff's review of the content of examinations under 10 CFR 55, which iscontained in Examiner Standards 202 and 402 of NUREG-1021, OperatorLicensing Examiner Standards," indicates that the subject matter presented insome sections is generic to all BWRs. The subject matter includes reactortheory, heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid flow and component operations.The staff's review of current training programs indicates that those topicsare normally presented early in the operator and senior operator trainingprograms. Mastery of these fundamentals is an important first step oftraining, which include systems and plant characteristics, on-the-jobtraining, and simulator training.In developing the fundamentals examination, the staff used subject mattercontained in the 291000 to 293000 series of the "Knowledge and Abilities(K/A) Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators: Boiling Water Reactors"(NUREG-1123). The K/As provided the basis of testing objectives and a bankof multiple choice questions has been developed and screened for use in thisexamination. The examination will contain approximately 50 multiple choicequestions and will require approximately three hours to complete. For pilottesting, we expect to simultaneously administer the pilot examination at eachregional office throughout the country. Since the examination will be gradedby machine, we expect to promulgate the test results within 10 days afteradministration of the examination.Copies of the fundamentals examination test sheets will be returned to eachvolunteer and facility training department. Comments by the volunteers andtraining department managers will be accepted and summarized in a subsequentCommission Paper. The Commission will evaluate a policy to require passingthe fundamentals examination as a condition for nuclear power plant operatorlicense applications under 10 CFR 55.31.LT12-

-2 -The conditions listed below will apply for pilot testing of the fundamentalsexamination.° The Commission will waive the usual requirements under 10 CFR 55.31Subpart D -Applications. Therefore, Form NRC-398 does not need to besubmitted.V Volunteers who pass the fundamental examination with a score of 70 percentor greater will be granted a waiver of the written examination under §55.47of Section 1 or Section 5, as appropriate.o Volunteers who do not achieve a grade of 70 percent will be able to takethe entire regularly scheduled written examination at the site. Since aformal application under §55.31 is not required, the provision of §55.35,Re-applications, will not apply.o Pilot testing of this examination is planned for Summer 1988. Licenseesand volunteers will be informed of the date, time, and location of theexaminations within 60 days after the date of this generic letter.Licensees interested in participating in this program are requested tosubmit the enclosed application for each candidate to Mr. John N. Hannon,Chief, Operator Licensing Branch, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U. S.Nulear Reguatoy Commission, Wasingtnn, DC 20555, witha-copytothe-appropriate Regional Administrator. We appreciate the cooperation of eachparticipant. If you have any questions concerning this generic letter,please call Mr. Hannon at (301) 492-1031.This request was approved by the Office of Management and Budget underclearance number 3150-0131. Clearance number 3150-0131 expiresAugust 31, 1988. Comments on burden and duplication may be directed to theOffice of Management and Budget, Reports Management, Room 3208, New ExecutiveOffice Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Sincerely,Frank J. Q4ragla ssoclate Directorfor ProjectsOffice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

Application for Pilot Testingof Fundamentals Examination I:v -NEnclosure(GL 88-09)I, _, employed at the(Name) (Station Name)50- request participation in the Pilot Test Program of(Docket Number)the Fundamentals Examination for operator or senior operator licenses. Iagree to the conditions outlined in GL-88-( ).Applicant:Datee:;41 U4 1 14wv --I -T a->Approved:Training Department Manager Date EIOF RCINTIV ISSULE GENERIC LETTERSGeneric Date :,L*cttf Nc. Suojec: Issuancu tssued ToGL 38-OS MAIL SENT DR DELIVERED To THO 09/03/S ALL LICENSEESOFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR FOR POWER ANDREGULATION NON-POWERREACTORS ANDHOLDERS OFCONSTRUCT I ONPERMITS FORNUCLEAR POWERREACTORSDL 88-07 MODIFIED ENFORCEMENT POLICY 04/07/89 ALL POWERRELATING TO 10 CFR S0.49. REACTOR'ENVtRONMENTALCUALIFtCATION OF LICENSEES ANDELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IMPORTANT APPLICANTSToSL aa-0o REMOVAL OF ORGANIZATION CHARTS 03/22/S8 ALL POWERFROM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION REACTORADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL LICENSEES ANDREQUIREMENTS APPLICANTSGL 9S-05 8ORtC ACID CORROSION OF CARsON 031t7/38 ALL LICENSEES -STEEL REACTOR PRESSURE OF OPERATINGNOUNDARY COMPONENTS IN PWRS ANDPWR PLANTS HOLDERS OFCONSTRUCTIONPERMITS FORPWRSGL S9-04 DISTRISUTION OF GEMS 02/23/S8 ALL NON-POWERIRRADIATED IN RESEARCH REACTORREACTORS LICENSEESaL S9-03 RESOLUTION OF GENERIC SAFETY 02/17/89 ALL LICENSEES.IStSU 93, "STEAM SINDIND OF APPLICANTS FORAUXILIARY FEEDWATER PUMPS' OPERATINGLICENSES, ANDHOLDERS OrCONSTRUCTIONPERMITS FORPRESSUR I ZEDWATER REACTORSSL 88-02 'INTEGRATED SEFETY ASSESSMENT Ot/20/89 ALL POWERPROGRAM tl (ISAP tl)' REACTORLICENSEESDL 93-01. "NRC POSITION ON 19SCC IN *WR 01/29/33 ALL LICENSEESAUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL OF OPERATINSPIPINS" 'OILINS WATERREACTCRS ANDHOLDERS OFCONSTRUCT IONPERMITS FORBWRSUNITED STATES MAILNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION POSTAGE

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