Authorization of Nuclear Power Plant Control Room Personnel

Information contained in this publication and on the accompanying CD-ROM provides useful guidance and a wide range of practical examples that will be helpful for both nuclear power plant (NPP) operating organizations and regulatory bodies in developing and improving the processes of authorization of control room personnel. Authorization of control room personnel is a normal practice in all IAEA Member States operating NPPs. The authorization of personnel is based on whether personnel has a direct impact on safety in accordance with IAEA Safety Standards Series No. NS-G-2.8, Recruitment, Qualification and Training of Personnel for NPPs. The methods and practices for this authorization, however, are not identical, and the organizations granting the authorization may be different. The various authorization processes are usually based on written and/or oral examinations and in many cases also on the testing of practical skills. Differences in the authorization processes also exist in the examination methodology and in the scope of the practical examinations (e.g., plant walkthrough, use of simulators). The recent increase in the availability of full-scope simulators, in particular full-scope plant-referenced control room simulators, provides an additional, efficient tool for testing the practical skills of the candidates for authorization.