Temelin NPP Operators Pass State Exams

State exams of Temelin NPP operators started today. The exams will take place until 23rd March 2000. Total of 41 NPP workers in positions of primary and secondary circuit operators, heads of unit control rooms, heads of the reactor unit and shift engineers will sit for the exams. By passing the exams, they will be granted by the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) a license to execute their positions, that means to control the operation of Temelin nuclear power plant. Nine control and operation physicians have already passed in mid-February the state exams and have been granted licenses by SONS. They supervise over compliance with nuclear safety during the start-up and operation of the unit.

The twelve-member commission was chaired today by SONS Vice-Chairman Mr. Karel Bohm. The examination commission also includes representatives of Škoda Praha, NPP, CEZ, and the Training Center at Brno.

"The state examination consists of two parts. Of a written part which is sit for a day before the other part - the orals. 1,200 - 1,4000 test questions have been prepared for the written test depending on the position to be executed. The test within the examination proper includes 80 questions. Of those 80 questions, at least 90 % have to be correctly answered for the operator to go to the final orals. The oral part lasts for about an hour, and the examination commissions asks five to six questions depending on the position to be executed. The operating staff members sit for the state examination each two years and always when changing the position," Milan Nebesar, NPP Press Spokesman, commented the organization of the examinations.

"Although I had sit for five state exams in this area, I must say that the today's exam was the most difficult so far. I can explain why on an example from my work at Dukovany NPP. At Dukovany whoever is to sit for the exam goes to work, but prepares for two to three months only for the exam. At Temelin, however, the unit has been intensively prepared for its future operation, the non-active testing is culminating. That is why one especially has to do all his working tasks in the unit and attend the training program on the simulator. We have only our free time to study for the state exam. That is also the reason why this exam was and will be for me and, surely, for my forty colleagues the most difficult one," sad Jiri Tyc, Shift Engineer, having passed the state exam with excellent grade as the first one of NPP operating staff.

Milan Nebesar, Temelin NPP, Press Spokesman

1. 3. 2000