December 12, 1996
Ms. Shirley Jackson, Chairman
USNRC
Washington, DC 20555
Dear Ms. Jackson:
The Class Room subject of reactor behavior has direct linkage to two vital meters in the reactor Control Room, namely the power meter and the reactor rate meter. As currently taught by the National Training Academy, no equation exists to define reactor power as a product of neutron source multiplication from shutdown to full power, a major omission, and the equation used for reactor rate is in grievous error. I am in no way promoting equations, per se, as a principal teaching tool, however, the two correct equations do reveal valuable insight into the true physical concepts underlying reactor behavior. More importantly, these two equations provide the basis for an indispensible graphic overview of the nature of reactor behavior, which leads to real bedrock understanding by the student. Until this matter is corrected, Licensed Operators will continue to be shortchanged in training and reactor safety will remain unnecessarily at greater risk than need be the case.
Sincerely yours,
Robert G. Stater