It is unofficial; I passed the NRC License Exam!

[thenuttyneutron]

Today I took my NRC License Written Exam and passed!  I will hopefully get my official RO License in the mail in a few weeks.  It was a pretty hard test and a test written by the NRC.  Each region writes one exam for one of its plants every year and it just happened to be my plant's turn.

I am not worried about the drills or JPMs.  I know I aced those 

[Creeker]

That is Fantastic!!!   Anyone who's gone through (or is going through) knows how much work that takes!  Congratulations!

We're in the middle of our audit exam period, with the written behind us, and taking JPM's, simulator sessions upcoming this week.  I would give anything to have the next month behind me already. 

Bill

[JustinHEMI05]

Congratulations!!!!!

Justin

[thenuttyneutron]

License Tests are so funny when the NRC writes it.  The class average was 82 with 2 failures at first.  My score has dropped from an 83 to 81 because of regrades/throwing questions out.  One of the other DSRO guys had a 79 on the first grade and we noticed a few of his answers were not wrong based on what you used to answer it.  

One was based on a RCP interlock and when you can start it.  The interlocks were met; however there is a normal ops procedure that would make you wait for 30 minutes before starting it.  Nothing said we were in an abnormal or normal procedure.  In the question it had a time line for when the seal injection was placed back in service after losing it.  The NRC wanted to know if all the interlocks were met and when the pump could be started.  The two correct answers being immediately vs. 5 min for when you can start the pump are based on 2 different ways of looking at it.  Both had procedures that would make them right.

Some of the other questions were based on how the Motor Driven Feed Pump could be used to feed a SG on a loss of FW during a shutdown.  The question did not state if the MDFP was shifted to the MFW mode or not.  Depending on the shutdown procedure (rapid vs. normal) it could have been in two configurations.  There were two correct answers for that one as well.  The NRC just threw that one out along with another question that was challenged.

In the end, the NRC changed its position on 1 by taking the other answer rather than both and threw 2 questions out.  Everyone in the class has dropped several points now except for the one guy that needed the point, but we now have an additional pass on the test.  Because most of the class is now in that 80-82 range, the licenses will be delayed to allow an appeal from the last guy below an 80.  If he gets enough stuff thrown out, it will invalidate the test so I doubt it will happen.

I think 9/10 on the exam is good and I am very happy that the guy with a 79 is now a pass.  I do feel like he deserves a license and being delayed by a few weeks is not a big deal.

[Fermi2]

Congrats and you really impressed me with your concern for the guy who got a 79. That alone tells me I'd work on a shift with you anytime. Remember, your fellow employees regardless of department are your brothers and sisters  so look out for them.

Mike

[thenuttyneutron]

The call from the NRC came yesterday and I did get the license.  It is on hold until the appeal time frame is over.  The class average was about 82.  This test was written by the NRC.  It is a big change from the GFES.  The average on that test was a 94 for the class.

The test average was lower than I thought it would be.  Is it true that a class average that is too high can get the attention of the NRC?  I have also heard that too many failing can get the training department audited.