Section 50A. To be eligible for examination for a license as an assistant nuclear power plant operator, a person shall have been employed in a steam power plant as a fireman, water tender, control room assistant, or as a designated assistant to the engineer in charge of an eight hour working day shift for not less than one year. He must furnish written evidence as to his previous training and experience signed by a person holding a steam power plant operating engineer’s license or a nuclear power plant engineer’s license issued by the commonwealth.

To be eligible for an examination as a nuclear power plant operating engineer, a person shall have been employed in a steam power plant or a nuclear steam power plant and have and used a Massachusetts second class engineer’s license or an assistant nuclear steam power plant operator’s license for not less than one and one-half years. He shall furnish proof of his United States citizenship and furnish written evidence as to his previous training and experience. A person who has attended a recognized full time school of nuclear power plant engineering for one year or more shall be permitted to substitute the time in such school for an equivalent year of required experience as an assistant nuclear steam power plant operator, provided, however, that he completes a minimum of six months of operating experience as an assistant nuclear steam power plant operator. A person who has a bachelor of science degree in engineering from any duly recognized school of engineering, who has been employed for one year in connection with the operation of a steam plant, shall be eligible for examination as a nuclear power plant operating engineer’s license.

To be eligible for examination as a nuclear power plant senior supervising engineer, a person shall have been employed in a steam power plant and have held and used a Massachusetts first class engineer’s license or a nuclear power plant operating engineer’s license for not less than two years. He shall furnish proof of his United States citizenship and furnish written evidence as to his previous training and experience. A person that has attended a recognized full time school of nuclear power plant engineering for one year or more shall be permitted to substitute the time in school for an equivalent year of experience as a nuclear power plant operating engineer, provided, however, that the time in school shall be allowed as credit for experience for the license examination immediately following the time spent in school.

The examination for all nuclear power plant licenses shall consist of two parts. The first part of twenty questions shall be written. Four hours shall be allotted for the examination. The second part of the examination shall be oral and will consist of the full range of power plant auxiliaries, prime movers, and nuclear generating equipment and will be given, within thirty calendar days from the date of the first part, only if the applicant attains a passing mark in the first part of the examination.

The examination shall be uniform throughout the commonwealth and shall be given only once each quarter of the year by a special board of district engineering inspectors appointed by the chief of inspections or by the supervising district engineering inspector for the purpose of examining the applicants. The regular examining days shall be on the second Wednesday of September, December, March and June. In the event a holiday or severe storm prevents the examination from being held, the examination will be held on the next regular business day of the division of inspection of the department of fire services. The fee for each applicant for an examination included in this nuclear section shall be determined annually by the commissioner of administration under the provision of section three B of chapter seven for the filing thereof. The application shall be made on forms furnished by the department and recorded in the department at least three weeks previous to the examination.

In the event a special examination for any grade of nuclear license is required, it shall be limited to not more than five applicants, and the total fee for such special examination shall be determined pursuant to the aforementioned chapter seven provision and divided equally among all the applicants.