General Provisions

10 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart A
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

10 C.F.R. § 55.1 Purpose.

The regulations in this part: (a) Establish procedures and criteria for the issuance of licenses to operators and senior operators of utilization facilities licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or Section 202 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, and part 50, part 52, or part 54 of this chapter, (b) Provide for the terms and conditions upon which the Commission will issue or modify these licenses, and (c) Provide for the terms and conditions to maintain and renew these licenses.

10 C.F.R. § 55.2 Scope.

The regulations in this part apply to— (a) Any individual who manipulates the controls of any utilization facility licensed under parts 50, 52, or 54 of this chapter, (b) Any individual designated by a facility licensee to be responsible for directing any licensed activity of a licensed operator. (c) Any facility license.

10 C.F.R. § 55.3 License requirements.

A person must be authorized by a license issued by the Commission to perform the function of an operator or a senior operator as defined in this part.

10 C.F.R. § 55.4 Definitions.

As used in this part: Act means the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, including any amendments to the Act. Actively performing the functions of an operator or senior operator means that an individual has a position on the shift crew that requires the individual to be licensed as defined in the facility's technical specifications, and that the individual carries out and is responsible for the duties covered by that position. Commission means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or its duly authorized representatives. Controls when used with respect to a nuclear reactor means apparatus and mechanisms the manipulation of which directly affects the reactivity or power level of the reactor. Facility means any utilization facility as defined in part 50 of this chapter. In cases for which a license is issued for operation of two or more facilities, facility means all facilities identified in the license. Facility licensee means an applicant for or holder of a license for a facility. Licensee means an individual licensed operator or senior operator. Operator means any individual licensed under this part to manipulate a control of a facility. Performance testing means testing conducted to verify a simulation facility's performance as compared to actual or predicted reference plant performance. Physician means an individual licensed by a State or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to dispense drugs in the practice of medicine. Plant-referenced simulator means a simulator modeling the systems of the reference plant with which the operator interfaces in the control room, including operating consoles, and which permits use of the reference plant's procedures. Reference plant means the specific nuclear power plant from which a simulation facility's control room configuration, system control arrangement, and design data are derived. Senior operator means any individual licensed under this part to manipulate the controls of a facility and to direct the licensed activities of licensed operators. Simulation facility means one or more of the following components, alone or in combination: used for either the partial conduct of operating tests for operators, senior operators, and license applicants, or to establish on-the-job training and experience prerequisites for operator license eligibility: (1) A plant-referenced simulator; (2) A Commission-approved simulator under § 55.46(b); or (3) Another simulation device, including part-task and limited scope simulation devices, approved under § 55.46(b). Systems approach to training means a training program that includes the following five elements: (1) Systematic analysis of the jobs to be performed. (2) Learning objectives derived from the analysis which describe desired performance after training. (3) Training design and implementation based on the learning objectives. (4) Evaluation of trainee mastery of the objectives during training. (5) Evaluation and revision of the training based on the performance of trained personnel in the job setting. United States, when used in a geographical sense, includes Puerto Rico and all territories and possessions of the United States.

10 C.F.R. § 55.5 Communications.

(a) Except as provided under a regional licensing program identified in paragraph (b) of this section, an applicant or licensee or facility licensee shall submit any communication or report concerning the regulations in this part and shall submit any application filed under these regulations to the Commission as follows: (1) By mail addressed to—Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; or (2) By delivery in person to the NRC's offices at 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, or (3) Where practicable, by electronic submission, for example, via Electronic Information Exchange, or CD-ROM. Electronic submissions must be made in a manner that enables the NRC to receive, read, authenticate, distribute, and archive the submission, and process and retrieve it a single page at a time. Detailed guidance on making electronic submissions can be obtained by visiting the NRC's Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html; by e-mail to MSHD.Resource@nrc.gov; or by writing the Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. The guidance discusses, among other topics, the formats the NRC can accept, the use of electronic signatures, and the treatment of nonpublic information. (b)(1) Except for test and research reactor facilities, the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, has delegated to the Regional Administrators of Regions I, II, III, and IV authority and responsibility under the regulations in this part for the issuance and renewal of licenses for operators and senior operators of nuclear power reactors licensed under 10 CFR part 50 or part 52 of this chapter and located in these regions. (2) Any application for a license or license renewal filed under the regulations in this part involving a nuclear power reactor licensed under 10 CFR part 50 or part 52 of this chapter and any related inquiry, communication, information, or report must be submitted to the Regional Administrator by an appropriate method listed in paragraph (a) of this section. The Regional Administrator or the Administrator's designee will transmit to the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, any matter that is not within the scope of the Regional Administrator's delegated authority. (i) If the nuclear power reactor is located in Region I, submissions must be made to the Regional Administrator of Region I. Submissions by mail or hand delivery must be addressed to the Administrator at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 475 Allendale Road, Suite 102, King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415; where email is appropriate it should be addressed to RidsRgn1MailCenter.Resource@nrc.gov. (ii) If the nuclear power reactor is located in Region II, submissions must be made to the Regional Administrator of Region II. Submissions by mail or hand delivery must be addressed to the Regional Administrator at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 245 Peachtree Center Avenue, NE., Suite 1200, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1257. Where e-mail is appropriate, it should be addressed to RidsRgn2MailCenter@nrc.gov. (iii) If the nuclear power reactor is located in Region III, submissions must be made to the Regional Administrator of Region III. Submissions by mail or hand delivery must be addressed to the Administrator at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2443 Warrenville Road, Suite 210, Lisle, IL 60532-4352; where e-mail is appropriate it should be addressed to RidsRgn3MailCenter@nrc.gov. (iv) If the nuclear power reactor is located in Region IV, submissions must be made to the Regional Administrator of Region IV. Submission by mail or hand delivery must be addressed to the Administrator at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1600 E. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, TX 76011-4511; where email is appropriate, it should be addressed to RidsRgn4MailCenter@nrc.gov. (3) Any application for a license or license renewal filed under the regulations in this part and all other submissions involving a test and research reactor or non-power reactor facility licensed under 10 CFR part 50 and any related inquiry, communication, information, or report must be submitted to the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Director of the Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities at the NRC's headquarters, by an appropriate method listed in paragraph (a) of this section.

10 C.F.R. § 55.6 Interpretations.

Except as specifically authorized by the Commission in writing, no interpretation of the meaning of the regulations in this part by any officer or employee of the Commission other than a written interpretation by the General Counsel will be recognized to be binding upon the Commission.

10 C.F.R. § 55.7 Additional requirements.

The Commission may, by rule, regulation, or order, impose upon any licensee such requirements, in addition to those established in the regulations in this part, as it deems appropriate or necessary to protect health and to minimize danger to life or property.

10 C.F.R. § 55.8 Information collection requirements: OMB approval.

(a) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has submitted the information collection requirements contained in this part to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved the information collection requirements contained in this part under control number 3150-0018. (b) The approved information collection requirements contained in this part appear in §§ 55.11, 55.25, 55.27, 55.31, 55.35, 55.40, 55.41, 55.43, 55.45, 55.47, 55.53, 55.57, and 55.59. (c) This part contains information collection requirements in addition to those approved under the control number specified in paragraph (a) of this section. These information collection requirements and the control numbers under which they are approved are as follows: (1) In §§ 55.23, 55.25, 55.27, 55.31, NRC Form 396 is approved under control number 3150-0024. (2) In §§ 55.31, 55.35, 55.47, and 55.57, NRC Form 398 is approved under control number 3150-0090.

10 C.F.R. § 55.9 Completeness and accuracy of information.

Information provided to the Commission by an applicant for a license or by a licensee or information required by statute or by the Commission's regulations, orders, or license conditions to be maintained by the applicant or the licensee shall be complete and accurate in all material respects.

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