Information Notice No. 84-11: Training Program Deficiencies

                                                           SSINS No.: 6835 
                                                           IN 84-11        

                               UNITED STATES 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                    OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 
                                     
                             February 24, 1984 

Information Notice No. 84-11:   TRAINING PROGRAM DEFICIENCIES 

Addressees: 

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or 
construction permit (CP). 

Purpose: 

This information notice is provided as information that may be of value in 
upgrading your training programs. This notice relates to training program 
deficiencies associated with licensed operator training. It is expected that
recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities
and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude a similar problem 
occurring at their facilities. No specific action or written response is 
required. 

Description of Circumstances: 

In February and November of 1983, Region II conducted training assessments 
at a Region II facility which cast doubt on the adequacy and validity of its
operator license training program. An in-depth inspection subsequently 
verified the existence of deficiencies in the fulfillment of training 
commitments made in the facility's FSAR and in the documentation of 
completed operator training. Of particular note was the lack of attention to 
accuracy on the part of the facility and the individual trainees in the 
submittal of training history information pursuant to the filing of 
applications for operator license examinations. These inaccuracies included 
information related to qualification card completion and statements 
concerning the length of formal training courses. Had the NRC been aware of 
the inaccurate statements made in these license applications, license 
examinations would not have been administered at the facility at that time. 
The statement on the application (NRC Form 398) that certifies that all 
required training has been or will be completed includes, as a minimum, that 
training required by the FSAR has been conducted. 

Inaccuracies on operator license applications relating to the degree of 
training, or other factors identified in NRC rules, are considered a serious
matter by the NRC.  This is specifically addressed in 10 CFR 55.10(d) and 10
CFR 55.40(b). Individual operator license applicants and facility licensees 
are responsible for proper filing of operator license applications. 



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                                                        IN 84-11           
                                                        February 24, 1984  
                                                        Page 2 of 2        

Region II inspections of other facilities have identified failures to meet 
FSAR commitments concerning licensed operator training.  Other instances 
have been identified in which facilities have failed to fully implement 
their own procedures for licensed operator training. In some cases, the 
inspections identified a failure to implement plant-specific system level 
training and qualification programs. 

The NRC-licensed operator examination and certifications program is 
conducted based on certification that all required training has been or will 
be completed by the time of the examination and the assumption that the 
program has been conducted in a quality manner and properly documented. 
Failure to fully implement the required training program calls into question 
the certification of the affected operators. 

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Regional
Administrator of the appropriate NRC Regional office, or this office. 



                                   Edward L. Jordan, Director 
                                   Division of Emergency Preparedness 
                                     and Engineering Response 
                                   Office of Inspection and Enforcement 

Technical Contact:  W. F. Anderson, IE 
                    (301) 492-4819 

Attachment: 
List of Recently Issued Information Notices