IR 05000237/2025301
| ML25153A708 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden  |
| Issue date: | 06/05/2025 |
| From: | Paul Zurawski NRC/RGN-III/DORS/OB |
| To: | Rhoades D Constellation Energy Generation, Constellation Nuclear |
| Roach G, | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24320A154 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-237/25-301, 50-249/25-301 | |
| Download: ML25153A708 (1) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3 NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000237/2025301; 05000249/2025301
Dear David Rhoades:
On May 7, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Dresden Nuclear Power Station. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on April 18, 2025, with George Baxa, Senior Manager Site Training and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted on May 23, 2025, between Carolyne Joseph, Site Vice President of your staff and Gregory Roach, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. During the telephone conversation, the NRC noted there were no post-examination comments submitted by the facility, initially received by the NRC on May 7, 2025.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of April 14, 2025. The written examination was administered by training department personnel on April 21, 2025. Eight Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on May 23, 2025. Seven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Five were issued senior operator licenses and two were issued operator licenses.
The as-administered written examination and operating test, as well as documents related to the development and review (outlines, review comments and resolution, etc.) of the examination will be withheld from public disclosure until May 7, 2027. The enclosure contains details of this report.
However, since four applicants received a Preliminary Results letter, all four applicants had multiple critical performance deficiencies on the dynamic scenario portion of the operating test, the applicants were provided copies of the portions of the examination in which they received an unsatisfactory grade. For examination security purposes, your staff should consider this portion of the examination uncontrolled and exposed to the public.
June 5, 2025 This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Paul J. Zurawski, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-237; 50-249 License Nos. DPR-19 and DPR-25 Enclosure:
1. Examination Report 05000237/2025301; 05000249/2025301 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via LISTSERV George M. Baxa III Sr., Manager Site Training Signed by Zurawski, Paul on 06/05/25
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000237/2025301; 05000249/2025301; 04/14/2025-05/07/2025; Constellation Energy
Generation, LLC, Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3. Initial License Examination Report.
The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,
Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.
Examination Summary:
Seven of eleven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Five applicants were issued senior operator licenses, and two applicants were issued operator licenses.
(Section 4OA5.1).
REPORT DETAILS
4OA5 Other Activities
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Examination Scope
The NRC examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. The written examination outlines were prepared by the NRC staff and were transmitted to the facility licensees staff. Members of the facility licensees staff developed the operating test outlines and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of March 10, 2025, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited four license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of April 14, 2025 through April 18, 2025. The facility licensee administered the written examination on April 21, 2025.
On May 7, 2025, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the operating test.
b. Findings
- (1) Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
Less than 20 percent of the proposed examination questions were determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.
During validation of the written examination, several questions were modified or replaced. All changes made to the proposed written examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form 2.3-5, Written Examination Review Worksheet.
The Form 2.3-5, the written examination outlines, and both the proposed and final written examinations, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) on May 7, 2027, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML23202A153, ML23202A155, ML23202A156, and ML23202A152 respectively).
The NRC examiners graded the written examination on May 8, 2025, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. Post-examination analysis revealed generic weaknesses in applicant performance with one Emergency and Abnormal Plant Evolutions, two Plant Systems, and one Generic Knowledge and Abilities questions with more than 50 percent of applicants answering incorrectly.
- (2) Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
Less than 20 percent of the proposed operating test portion of the examination was determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.
During the validation of the operating test, several Job Performance Measures (JPMs)were modified or replaced, and some modifications were made to the dynamic simulator scenarios. Changes made to the operating test portion of the examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form 2.3-3, Operating Test Review Worksheet. The Form 2.3-3, the operating test outlines, and both the proposed and final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs ADAMS on May 7, 2027, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML23202A153, ML23202A155, ML23202A156, and ML23202A152 respectively).
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on May 21, 2025.
Post-examination analysis revealed generic weaknesses in applicant performance in the area(s) of Emergency Operating Procedure (EOP) command and control, board manipulations during EOP execution, and attention to detail. It is expected that significant delta training will be conducted.
- (3) Examination Results Eight applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Seven applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on May 23, 2025.
.2 Examination Security
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed and observed the licensee's implementation of examination security requirements during the examination validation and administration to assure compliance with Title10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests. The examiners used the guidelines provided in NUREG 1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, to determine acceptability of the licensees examination security activities.
b. Findings
None.
4OA6 Meetings
.1 Debrief
The chief examiner presented the examination teams preliminary observations and findings on April 18, 2025, to George Baxa, Senior Manager Site Training and other members of the Dresden Nuclear Power Station Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on May 23, 2025, with Carolyne Joseph, Site Vice President. The NRCs final disposition of the stations grading of the written examination and post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed during the meeting. The chief examiner asked the licensee whether any of the retained submitted material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- C. Joseph, Site Vice President
- H. Patel, Plant Manager
- G. Baxa, Senior Manager Site Training
- A. Rehn, Operations Training Manager
- J. Chapman, Operations Exam Facility Representative
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- J. Steffes, Senior Resident Inspector
- J. Meszaros, Resident Inspector
- G. Roach, Chief Examiner
- J. Nance, Operations Engineer
- P. Gresh, Operations Engineer
- L. Rodriguez, Senior Reactor Analyst
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None
LIST OF ACRONYMS USED
Agencywide Document Access and Management System
Emergency Operating Procedure
IR
Issue Report
NRC
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Reactor Operator
Senior Reactor Operator
Simulator Work Request
SIMULATION FACILITY FIDELITY REPORT
Facility Licensee:
Dresden Nuclear Power Station
Facility Docket Nos:
50-237, 50-249
Operating Tests Administered:
April 14-18, 2025
The following documents observations made by the NRC examination team during the initial
operator license examination. These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings
and are not, without further verification and review, indicative of non-compliance with
CFR 55.45(b). These observations do not affect NRC certification or approval of the
simulation facility other than to provide information which may be used in future evaluations. No
licensee action is required in response to these observations.
During the conduct of the simulator portion of the operating tests, the following items were
observed:
ITEM
DESCRIPTION
Technical-Administrative Issues During ILT 24-1 Cert-NRC Exam
Development.
DW PRESS RESET SWITCH makes it through simulator switch check
outside of its correct position.
Main Stop Valve testing indicated position does not return to original
position valve during performance of DOS 0500-10, TURBINE STOP
VALVE CLOSURE SCRAM CIRCUIT FUNCTIONAL TEST.
Malfunction in SmartAction incorrectly references 2-2301-1valve when
it should be referencing 2-1301-1 valve.
In JADE there are two 263-12A reference Pots on the Reactor
Recirculation screen. The 263-12A to the right of the reactor pressure
vessel should be labelled 263-12B.