February 28, 1996
Mr. Stewart Richards
USNRC
Washington, DC 20555
Dear Sir:
Mr. George Usova of your group called on February 27, 1996, to request a copy of the eighteen INPO Exam Bank questions that were previously identified on INPO Feedback Forms as being flawed. Apparently the 1989 INPO document in which these were contained could not be located by your office. He also requested that the Equation Sheet contained in that document be included. In collecting this material, I notice two other items that are relevant, namely the Answer Sheet and the references. Please find enclosed pages from Academy Document 89-004 that contain the following four items:
1. 18 Exam Bank questions
2. 18 Exam Bank answers
3. 1 Equation Sheet
4. references from the Exam Bank answers
Whereas, I had indicated that there were two incorrect equations on the Equation Sheet, there seems to be only one. I was not using the appropriate Equation Sheet. The fifth equation in the left hand column, defining reactor period, is completely wrong. I notice that the second equation in the right hand column defines shutdown margin. Apparently, I was unaware of the Equation Sheet at the time the forms were submitted. The definition of shutdown margin on the Equation Sheet does not materially alter my comment concerning problem 11; answer "A" is still wrong. The seventh equation of the right hand column is the rule-of-thumb value of l-effective for power increase. Other values apply at criticality and for the power decrease. There may be other flaws in this Equation Sheet.
As to the references, if the incorrect answers are based on the references indicated, then the references are part of the problem. I have not had occasion to see these references. I trust you will find the enclosures to be helpful.
Sincerely yours,
Robert G. Stater
(Note 5/3/98: the eighteen test items are not included herein because they are contained in the NRC response to this letter.)