The current role of simulators for performance evaluations and licensing (case of Mexico)

The main purpose of this paper is to share the experience acquired by the National Commission of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards (CNSNS) during the administration of both certification and licensing operational exams applied to Senior Reactor Operators (SRO) and Reactor OPerators (RO) by using a full-scope simulator. The licensing operational exams are administered to examinate candidates for a SRO or RO license while the certification operational exams are administered to all personnel that possess a SRO or RO license in order to renew their licenses within a six years period. A general description with the most important simulator antecedents from the initial authorization for its usage to provide the ''Initial Simulator Training Course'' until currently in which it has been started the installation and testing performance of a new computer equipment that will improve and increase the simulation capacity of the Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant (LVNPP) simulator. In other hand, it is showed the process that the CNSNS will apply during the next verification of the simulator certification which should be performed due to the old computer equipment is being replaced with a more modern computer equipment so that the simulation capability will be improved. The verification process was discussed with the utility personnel and as result of this an agreement has been established to carry into effect this hard task. Finally, the conclusions and recommendations from regulators point of view are presented regarding to the importance of perform a well both evaluation and verification of simulators performance. (author)