IR 05000220/2023301
| ML23087A188 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Nine Mile Point  |
| Issue date: | 03/29/2023 |
| From: | Diane Jackson NRC/RGN-I/DORS/OB |
| To: | Rhoades D Constellation Energy Generation, Constellation Nuclear |
| References | |
| IR 2023301 | |
| Download: ML23087A188 (1) | |
Text
March 29, 2023
SUBJECT:
NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000220/2023301
Dear David Rhoades:
On February 7, 2023, 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 17, 2023, with James Tsardakas and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of six applicants for reactor operator licenses, and five 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 12. The license examiners determined that ten of the eleven 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 17, 2023.
No findings were identified during this examination.
One applicant for an instant senior reactor operator failed the operating test portion of the exam and was denied a license. 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, Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
Docket No: 05000220 License No: DPR-63
Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000220/2023301 w/Attachment: Supplementary Information
REGION I==
Docket No:
License No:
Report No:
Licensee:
Enterprise Identifier:
Facility:
Location:
Dates:
Examiners:
Approved By:
05000220 DPR-63 05000220/2023301 Constellation Energy Generation, LLC L-2023-OLL-0005 Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1 Scriba, NY January 30 - February 2, 2023 (Operating Test Administration)
February 7, 2023 (Written Examination Administration)
February 10, 2023 (Licensee Submitted Post Exam Package)
February 11 - March 16, 2023 (NRC Examination Grading)
March 17, 2023 (Licenses Issued)
B. Fuller, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch T. Hedigan, Operations Engineer K. Murphy, Operations Engineer P. Ott, Operations Engineer Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
ER 05000220/2023301; January 30 - February 7, 2023; Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1;
Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.
Four NRC examiners evaluated the competency of six applicants for reactor operator licenses and five 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 12. The written examination was administered by the facility on February 7, 2023. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on January 30 through February 2, 2023. The NRC examiners determined that ten of the eleven applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
No findings were identified.
Licensee-Identified Violations
None.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
The examiners reviewed all eleven 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 eleven 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 7, 2023, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all eleven applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on February 10, 2023.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all eleven applicants on January 30 through February 2, 2023. The six 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 five applicants seeking an instant senior reactor operator license participated in two or 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 eleven of the applicants passed the written examination. One senior reactor operator applicant failed the scenario portion of the operation test. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 92.8 percent and ranged from 92.0 to 94.6 percent, the senior operator applicants average score was 89.0 percent and ranged from 84.0 to 93.0 percent. The overall written examination average was 91.1 percent.
The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on February 11, 2023 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 written examination will be delayed for two years. The text of the examination questions 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 six questions that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner.
The licensee submitted no post-examination question comments.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted the operating examination outlines on August 16, 2022. 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 November 11, 2022. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021 and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on December 12, 2022. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of December 12, 2022. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on January 10, 2023.
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 12 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 James Tsardakas, Senior Manager Site Training, and other members of the licensee's management staff on March 17, 2023.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
4OA7 Licensee-Identified Violations
None
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- M. Dougherty, Senior Nuclear Training Instructor
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened
NONE
Opened and Closed
NONE
Closed
NONE
Discussed
NONE
ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED
Accession No. ML23067A254 - FINAL-Written Exam (Note: In accordance with current NRC
policy, the release of this written examination in ADAMS to the
public will be delayed for two years.)
Accession No. ML23067A258 - FINAL-Operating Exam