2014 Final Supporting Statement 3150-0131

FINAL SUPPORTING STATEMENT

FOR

NRC FORM 536, “OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION DATA”

(3150-0131)

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EXTENSION

Description of the Information Collection

The NRC annually requests all commercial power reactor licensees and applicants for an operating license to voluntarily send to the NRC: (1) their projected number of candidates for operator licensing initial examinations, (2) the estimated dates of the examinations,
(3) information on whether the examinations will be facility developed or NRC developed, and (4) the estimated number of individuals that will participate in the Generic Fundamentals Examination (GFE) for that calendar year. NRC uses an official form, NRC Form 536, for the voluntary reporting of this operator licensing examination data.

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Need for and Practical Utility of the Collection of Information

The Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 50.54, requires that all manipulations of controls of any facility be performed only by a licensed reactor operator, licensed senior reactor operator or a trainee under the direct supervision of a licensed reactor operator or a licensed senior reactor operator. The licensing of reactor operators or senior reactor operators is performed by the NRC in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55. In order to meet the needs of the nuclear industry for licensed reactor operators and senior reactor operators, NRC requests all commercial power facilities to submit their projected (estimated) number of candidates for reactor operator and senior reactor operator examinations, the proposed date for examinations for the next calendar year and each of three successive calendar years. NRC Form 536 also requests the estimated number of individuals that will participate in the GFE.

2. Agency Use of Information

This information is used by the NRC to plan budgets and resources in regard to operator examination development and scheduling to meet the needs of the nuclear industry.

3. Reduction of Burden Through Information Technology

There are no legal obstacles to reducing the burden associated with this information collection. The NRC encourages respondents to use information technology when it would be beneficial to them. NRC issued a regulation on October 10, 2003 (68 FR 58791), consistent with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, which allows its licensees, vendors, applicants, and members of the public the option to make submissions electronically via CD-ROM, e-mail, special Web-based interface, or other means. It is estimated that approximately 80% of the potential responses are filed electronically.

1. Effort to Identify Duplication and Use Similar Information

No sources of similar information are available. There is no duplication of requirements. NRC has in place an ongoing program to examine all information collections with the goal of eliminating all duplication and/or unnecessary information collections.

5. Effort to Reduce Small Business Burden

This information collection does not affect any small businesses.

6. Consequences to Federal Program or Policy Activities if the Collection is Not Conducted or is Conducted Less Frequently

This information must be collected and reviewed annually in order to accurately forecast examination needs.

7. Circumstances which Justify Variation from OMB Guidelines

This information collection does not vary from OMB guidelines.

8. Consultations Outside the NRC

Opportunity for public comment on the information collection requirements for this clearance package was published in the Federal Register on April 23, 2014 (79 FR 22704). No comments were received.

9. Payment or Gift to Respondents

Not applicable.

10. Confidentiality of Information

Confidential and proprietary information is protected in accordance with NRC regulations at 10 CFR 9.17(a) and 10 CFR 2.390(b). However, no information normally considered confidential or proprietary is requested.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

This information collection does not involve sensitive or private information.

12. Estimated Annualized Industry Burden and Burden Hour Cost

Currently 100 licensed to operate facility units voluntarily submit their projected (estimated) number of candidates for reactor operator, senior reactor operator and GFE examinations. Five new reactor units (Watts Bar Unit 2; Vogtle Units 3 & 4 and VC Summer Units 2 & 3) who are preparing to come online, began voluntarily submitting their estimates in 2010 for a total of 105 potential respondents (100 + 5 = 105). It is estimated that each respondent will submit one NRC Form 536 annually for a total of 105 responses (1 x 105 = 105).  The estimated annual burden per facility is 1 hour per request.  This is based on previous submittals of NRC Form 536 by licensees.  The total annual industry burden is estimated to be 105 hours (1 hour x 105 respondents). 

The estimated annual cost to the facilities to respond to the collection is $28,560 (1 hour x 105 respondents x $272/hour).

13. Estimate of Other Additional Costs

There are no additional costs.

14. Estimated Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

Approximately 1 hour per respondent is spent by NRC personnel. The information gathered by NRC Form 536 is reduced to a standardized format and then used for planning budgets and resources for NRC operator licensing functions. The estimated annual cost to the Federal government in connection with NRC Form 536 is $28,560 (105 hours x $272/hour).

15. Reasons for Change in Burden or Cost

The overall burden has decreased by 5 hours from 110 hours to 105 hours because of the decreases in the number of operating commercial nuclear power reactor units and new commercial nuclear power facilities requiring licensed reactor operators and senior reactor operators.  There has been an increase in the overall cost as a result of an increase in the fee rate from $259/hour to $272/hour.

16. Publication for Statistical Use

This information is not published for statistical use.

17. Reasons for Not Displaying the Expiration Date

The expiration date is displayed.

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement

None.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

Statistical methods are not used in this information collection.