IR 05000220/2017301

NRC Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000220/2017301

ML17103A227
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	04/13/2017
From:	Diane Jackson Operations Branch I
To:	Bryan Hanson Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
References
50-220/17-301
Download: ML17103A227 (9)

Text

ril 13, 2017

SUBJECT:

NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - NRC INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT ER 05000220/2017301

Dear Mr. Hanson:

On February 13, 2017, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on March 8, 2017, with Mr. Greg Elkins, and other members of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of four applicants for reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 10. The license examiners determined that all six of the applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on March 8, 2017.

No findings were identified during this examination.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRCs Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No.: 50-220 License No.: DPR-63 Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000220/2017301 w/Attachment: Supplementary Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

SUMMARY

ER 05000220/2017301; February 6 - 13, 2017; Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1; Initial

Operator Licensing Examination Report.

Four NRC examiners evaluated the competency of four applicants for reactor operator licenses and two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 10. The written examination was administered by the facility on February 13, 2017. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on February 6-8, 2017. The NRC examiner(s) determined that all six of the applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

No findings were identified.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all six license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, Personal Qualification Statement, and NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee. The examiners also audited all six of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications. This audit focused on the applicants experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On February 13, 2017, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all six applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on February 15, 2017.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all six applicants on February 6-8, 2017. The four applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two or three dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of eleven system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The two applicants seeking an instant senior reactor operator license participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findings

All six of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. All six of the applicants passed the written examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 93.33 percent and ranged from 86.66 to 97.33 percent, the senior operator applicants average score was 90.00 percent and ranged from 89.00 to 91.00 percent. The overall written examination average was 92.22 percent. The text of the examination questions, the licensees examination analysis, and the licensees post-examination comments may be accessed in the Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS) system under the accession numbers noted in

1. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this examination

in ADAMS to the public will be delayed for two years.

The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on February 16, 2017, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this examination will be delayed for two years. The text of the examination questions, the licensees examination analysis, and the licensees post-examination comments may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.

Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG 1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis for one question that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner.

.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 10. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on November 8, 2016.

The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on December 8, 2016. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on January 5, 2017. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of January 3, 2017. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on January 25, 2017.

b. Findings

The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings were identified.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021, Revision 10, requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

The chief examiner presented the examination results to Mr. Greg Elkins, Operations Training Manager, and other members of the licensee's management staff on March 8, 2017. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

G. Elkins, Operations Training Manager

P. Isham, Exam Developer

P. OBrien, Facility Representative

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

NONE

Opened and Closed

NONE

Closed

NONE

Discussed

NONE