IR 05000255/2015301

Er 05000255/2015301; on 01/21/15 - 01/28/15; Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Palisades Nuclear Plant; Initial License Examination Report

ML15050A035
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	02/18/2015
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Vitale A Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
ER 2015301
Download: ML15050A035 (8)

Text

UNITED STATES ary 18, 2015

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000255/2015301

Dear Mr. Vitale:

On January 28, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for one licensed applicant employed at your Palisades Nuclear Plant. The applicant failed the written examination administered during the October 2014 initial license examination, and was administered a re-take senior reactor operator portion of the written examination. The enclosed report documents the results of that examination. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on February 3, 2015, between Mr. R. White, Operations Training Superintendent, of your staff, and Mr. M. Bielby, Senior Operation Engineer, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the licensed applicant. During the telephone conversation, it was noted that there were no post-examination comments from the facility, and the facility agreed with the final grading of the examination.

The NRC waived the operating test and reactor operator (RO) portion of the written examination based on the applicants performance during the October 2014 initial license examination.

The senior reactor operator (SRO) portion of the written examination was administered by Palisades Nuclear Plant training department personnel on January 21, 2015. The result of the examination was finalized on February 3, 2015. The applicant passed the examination and was issued an SRO license.

The written examination and other related written examination documentation will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months per your request.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding, of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRCs Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS)

component of the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).

ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

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

Enclosure:

Operator Licensing Examination Report (ER) 05000255/2015301 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information

REGION III==

Docket No: 50-255 License No: DPR-20 Report No: 05000255/2015301 Licensee: Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

Facility: Palisades Nuclear Plant Location: Covert, MI Dates: January 21 - 28, 2015 Examiner: M. Bielby, Senior Operations Engineer Approved by: H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000255/2015301; 01/21/15 - 01/28/15; Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Palisades

Nuclear Plant; Initial License Examination Report.

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

Examination Summary One Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicant passed the SRO written re-take examination.

The operating test and RO portion of the written examination was waived based on the applicants performance during the October 2014 Initial License Examination. The applicant was issued an SRO license. (Section 4OA5.1).

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiner and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9-Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) portion of the written examination. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outline and developed the written examination. Because of the applicants performance on the October 2014 operating test and the Reactor Operator (RO) portion of the written examination for the Initial License Examination, the NRC waived those portions of this examination as requested by the licensee. Since the operating test and RO portion of the written examination were waived, no outline was developed for those respective items.

The facility licensee administered the SRO portion of the written examination on January 21, 2015.

b. Findings

(1) Written Examination The NRC examiner determined that the SRO 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. 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 ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet, which will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) (ML15034A192).

On January 28, 2015, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiner when grading the written examination. The final as-administered SRO written re-take examination, and answer key (ADAMS Accession Number ML15034A192), will be available in 24 months electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS.

The NRC examiner graded the written examination on February 3, 2015, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

(2) Operating Test Because of the applicants performance during the October 2014 Initial License Examination, and per the applicants request, the Operating Test portion of this examination was waived. No operating test was proposed or administered.

(3) Examination Results One applicant at the SRO level was administered an SRO written examination.

Because of the applicants performance during the October 2015 Initial License Examination, and per the applicants request, the RO portion of the written examination was waived. The applicant passed the SRO written re-take examination and was issued an SRO license.

.2 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiner reviewed the licensee's implementation of examination security requirements during the examination development and administration to assure compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests. The examiner 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

No findings were identified in this area.

4OA6 Management Meetings

.1 Exit Meeting

The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on February 3, 2013, with Mr. R. White, Operations Training Superintendent, by telephone. The NRCs final disposition of the stations post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed with Mr. R. White during the telephone discussion. The examiner asked the licensee whether any of the material used to develop or administer the examination, should be considered proprietary. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or exit meeting.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

R. White, Operations Training Superintendent

S. Botimer, Initial License Examination Author

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

M. Bielby, Senior Operations Engineer

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed,

Discussed

None