Licensed Operator Qualification and Requalification

 Those personnel who operate the controls of the reactor are required to be licensed as Reactor Operators (ROs) by the NRC. Those who supervise the operation of the controls are required to be licensed as Senior Reactor Operators (SROs).

Typically, operators, engineers, and managers are licensed at a nuclear power plant. Each nuclear power plant typically has 1 degreed shift manager licensed as a SRO. Each unit has a lead and control room operator, both licensed as ROs. Each unit typically has a minimum of three nonlicensed operators who operate equipment outisde the control room. Equipment operated locally may include electrical and substation breakers and electrical equipment, screenhouse pumps and valves, diesel generators, cooling tower fans, valves, and support equipment, radwaste (solid, liquid, gaseous) related equipment (e.g. compressors, pumps, valves), and turbine, condensate, feedwater, water purification, chemical & volume control.

To be licensed a person must pass the respective test - RO or SRO.

NRC License Application NRC Form 398

NRC License Application, Supporting Medical Information Form 396

Sample Generic Fundamentals Tests - BWR - PWR

Site-Specific Written Tests

• Topics - RO - SRO

NRC Licensed Operator Tests - Statistical Data

Regulations

• 10CFR55, Operators' Licenses

NUREG Documents

• NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors
• NUREG-1022, 
• NUREG-1023,