IR 05000255/2009301

Er 05000255/09-301 (DRS) on 06/01/09 - 06/09/09 for Palisades

ML091890126
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	06/30/2009
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Schwarz C Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
50-255/09-301 ER-09-301
Download: ML091890126 (13)

Text

une 30, 2009

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000255/2009301(DRS)

Dear Mr. Schwartz:

On June 9, 2009, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process at your Palisades Nuclear Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of the examination which were discussed on June 4 and June 9, 2009, with you and with other members of your staff.

The NRC examiners administered initial license examination operating tests from June 1, 2009 through June 5, 2009. Members of the Palisades Training Department administered the initial license written examination on June 8, 2009, to the applicants. Five senior reactor operator (SRO) and four reactor operator (RO) applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on June 22, 2009. All nine applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of five senior reactor operator and four reactor operator licenses.

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 System (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-255 License No. DPR-20

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 050000255/2009301(DRS)

2. Simulation Facility Report 3. Written Examinations and Answer Keys (RO and SRO)

REGION III==

Docket No: 50-255 License No: DPR-20 Report No: 05000255/2009301(DRS)

Licensee: Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Facility: Palisades Nuclear Plant Location: Covert, MI Dates: June 1 through June 9, 2009 Examiners: N. Valos, Chief Examiner C. Zoia, Examiner D. Reeser, Examiner Approved by: Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000255/2009301 (DRS); 06/01/09 - 06/09/09; Palisades Nuclear Plant; Initial License

Examination Report.

The announced operator licensing initial examination was conducted by regional examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1.

Examination Summary:

$ Nine examinations were administered (five senior reactor operator and four reactor operator).

$ All nine applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of five senior reactor operator and four reactor operator licenses.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The NRC examiners conducted an announced operator licensing initial examination during the week of June 1, 2009. The facility licensees training staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1, to prepare the outline and develop the written examination and operating test. The examiners administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of June 1 through June 5, 2009. The facility licensee administered the written examination on June 8, 2009. Five senior reactor operator and four reactor operator applicants were examined. During the on-site validation week of May 4, 2009, the examiners audited one license application for accuracy.

b. Findings

Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as originally submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

All changes made to the submitted examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors.

The licensee had no post examination comments on the written examination.

Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

All changes made to the submitted examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors."

Examination Results All nine applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of five senior reactor operator and four reactor operator licenses.

.2 Examination Security

a. Inspection Scope

The NRC examiners briefed the facility contact on the NRCs requirements and guidelines related to examination physical security (e.g., access restrictions and simulator considerations) and integrity in accordance with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests, and NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standard for Power Reactors. The examiners reviewed and observed the licensees implementation and controls of examination security and integrity measures (e.g., security agreements) throughout the examination process.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings

Exit Meeting The chief examiner presented the examination teams preliminary observations and findings with Mr. C. Schwartz and other members of the licensee management on June 4, 2009. A subsequent exit was held on June 9, 2009, with Mr. J. Iliff following the determination that there were no site post-examination comments. No proprietary information was identified during the exit meeting with the licensee. The licensee acknowledged the observations provided.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

C. Schwartz, Site Vice President

T. Kirwin, Plant General Manager

G. Sleeper, Assistant Operations Manager

J. Moceri, Operations

T. Mulford, Operations

P. Pitcher, Operations

R. White, Operations

H. Nixon, Training Manager

S. Martin, Initial License Training Supervisor

J. Iliff, Training/Examination Author

P. Schmidt, Training

P. Anderson, Licensing Manager

T. Davis, Licensing

NRC

N. Valos, Chief Examiner

J. Ellegood, Senior Resident Inspector

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None.

LIST OF ACRONYMS

ADAMS Agency-Wide Document Access and Management System

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CR Condition Report

DRS Division of Reactor Safety

ILT Initial License Training

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

PARS Publicly Available Records System

RO Reactor Operator

SDP Significance Determination Process

SRO Senior Reactor Operator

SIMULATION FACILITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: Palisades Nuclear Plant

Facility Licensee Docket No. 50-255

Operating Tests Administered: June 1 through June 5, 2009

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

While following guidance given in the Duty Plant Managers Book to fill the piping

from the Boric Acid Blender to the charging pump suction with 40 gallons of boric

acid, an unanticipated 10 gallons of boration occurred.

[Condition Report CR-PLP-2009-02981 issued]

WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS AND ANSWER KEYS (RO/SRO)

RO/SRO Initial Examination ADAMS Accession #ML091680280.

Enclosure 3