[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 54 (Monday, March 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15020-15021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6807]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Draft Supplementary Changes to Revision 8 of NUREG-1021, 
``Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors;'' Notice 
of Availability

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued for public 
comment and voluntary use, on a trial basis, a draft supplementary 
change to Revision 8 of NUREG-1021, ``Operator Licensing Examination 
Standards for Power Reactors.'' The Commission uses NUREG-1021 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 the Commission's 
regulations. NUREG-1021 provides similar guidance for verifying the 
continued qualifications of licensed operators when the staff 
determines that NRC requalification examinations are necessary.
    The draft supplement includes two notable changes that the NRC 
staff believes will maintain safety and public confidence while 
reducing unnecessary burden on those facility licensees that elect to 
prepare their own examinations for NRC review and approval and 
improving efficiency and effectiveness. The first change clarifies the 
sampling guidelines used in preparing the written examination to ensure 
a truly random process for selecting the question topics and, based 
upon this process, eliminates the limits on the number of questions 
that can be repeated from prior examinations and quizzes. The second 
change clarifies the guidance regarding the documentation of 
examination quality issues in the NRC's examination reports in a manner 
that will establish a threshold for discussion of examination 
preparation deficiencies when an examination meets the NRC's target 
range for acceptability. Several other changes are being made to 
correct typographical and administrative errors in Revision 8 and 
address questions raised since Revision 8 was issued. The changes are 
identified with highlights and strikeouts for ease of review.
    The draft supplement is available for review via the NRC Public 
Electronic Reading Room (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html), on 
the NRC's Operator Licensing web site (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/REACTOR/
OL/OLguidance.html), and at the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street 
NW, Washington, DC. If you do not have electronic access to NRC 
documents, you may request a single copy of the draft supplement by 
writing to the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Reproduction 
and Distribution Services Section, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001 (Facsimile: 301-512-2289). Telephone requests 
cannot be accommodated. NUREG documents are not copyrighted, and 
Commission approval is not required to reproduce them.
    The draft supplement is being immediately implemented on a 
voluntary, trial basis. The NRC will evaluate any comments and 
recommendations that are received and any lessons that are learned 
during the trial period, incorporate any additional changes, as 
appropriate, and, thereafter,

[[Page 15021]]

publish final Supplement 1 for general use.

DATES: The comment period ends June 19, 2000. Comments received after 
this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the staff 
is able to assure consideration only for comments received on or before 
this date.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to the Rules and 
Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001. You may also provide comments via the NRC's Operator 
Licensing web site (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/REACTOR/OL/OLguidance.html). 
Copies of comments received may be examined on the NRC Public 
Electronic Reading Room (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html) and 
at the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. S. Guenther by telephone at (301) 
415-1056, or by e-mail [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of March 2000.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Harold O. Christensen
Acting Chief, Operator Licensing, Human Performance and Plant Support 
Branch, Division of Inspection Program Management, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-6807 Filed 3-17-00; 8:45 am]
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