[Federal Register: May 18, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 95)]
[Notices]               
[Page 27015]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18my99-116]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 
Revision of Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power 
Reactors: Availability

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued Revision 8 of 
NUREG-1021, ``Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power 
Reactors,'' (formerly ``Operator Licensing Examiner Standards''). The 
Commission uses this document to provide policy and guidance for the 
development, administration, and grading of written examinations and 
operating tests used to determine the qualifications of individuals who 
apply for operator and senior operator licenses at nuclear power plants 
pursuant to Part 55 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 
CFR Part 55). The NUREG provides similar guidance for verifying the 
continued qualifications of licensed operators when the staff 
determines that NRC requalification examinations are necessary.
    NUREG-1021 has been revised to implement an amendment to 10 CFR 
Part 55 that allows power reactor facility licensees to prepare their 
initial operator licensing examinations or to request the NRC to 
prepare their examinations. The changes in Revision 8 include: (1) 
lessons learned since beginning the pilot examination program described 
in Generic Letter 95-06, ``Changes in the Operator Licensing Program,'' 
dated August 15, 1995; (2) adjustments made in response to public 
comments submitted in connection with a draft of Revision 8, which was 
issued for comment on February 22, 1996 (61 FR 6869); and (3) 
adjustments made in response to public comments submitted in connection 
with Interim Revision 8, which was issued for use in February 1997 (62 
FR 8462), and the proposed amendment to 10 CFR Part 55 that was 
published on August 8, 1997 (62 FR 42426). The ``Executive Summary'' 
section of the NUREG briefly describes all of the significant changes 
between Revision 7 (Supplement 1) and Revision 8.
    Revision 8 will become effective concurrent with the associated 
amendment to 10 CFR Part 55 or at an earlier date agreed upon by the 
facility licensee and its NRC Regional Office. Facility licensees that 
elect to prepare their examinations will do so based on the guidance in 
NUREG-1021, unless the NRC has reviewed and approved the facility 
licensee's alternative examination procedures.
    Copies of NUREG-1021, Revision 8, are being mailed to the plant or 
site manager at each nuclear power facility regulated by the NRC. A 
copy is available for inspection and/or copying for a fee in the NRC's 
Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW (Lower Level), Washington, DC. 
NUREG-1021 is also electronically available for downloading from the 
internet at ``http://www.nrc.gov.''

    Dated At Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of April 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert M. Gallo,
Chief, Operator Licensing, Human Performance and Plant Support Branch, 
Division of Inspection Program Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-12495 Filed 5-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M