IR 05000255/2017301
| ML17116A589 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 04/26/2017 |
| From: | Robert Orlikowski Operations Branch III |
| To: | Arnone C Entergy Nuclear Operations |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17037C875 | List: |
| References | |
| ER 2017301 | |
| Download: ML17116A589 (11) | |
Text
UNITED STATES ril 26, 2017
SUBJECT:
PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000255/2017301
Dear Mr. Arnone:
On March 13, 2017, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Palisades Nuclear Plant. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on February 22, 2017, with you and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on March 16, 2017, between Mr. W. Nelson, Training Manager, and Mr. R. Baker, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. During the telephone conversation, the NRC confirmed that the station had no post-examination comments that required resolution.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the weeks of February 13 and February 20, 2016. The written examination was administered by the NRC, with the assistance of the Palisades Nuclear Plant Training Department personnel, on February 21, 2017. A total of eight Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and two Reactor Operator (RO) applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on April 11, 2017. One of the SRO applicants failed a portion of the operating test and was issued a proposed license denial letter. The remaining seven SRO and two RO applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and were issued applicable Licenses.
The written examination and operating tests, as well as other related written examination and operating test documentation, will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months. However, because one of your applicants failed a portion of the job performance measure (JPM) section of the operating test, the applicant has have been provided a copy of that portion of the test.
You should consider that portion of the JPM section of the operating test as publicly available.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 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 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/
Robert J. Orlikowski, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-255 License No. DPR-20
Enclosures:
1. OL Examination Report 05000255/2017301 2. Simulation Facility Fidelity Report
REGION III==
Docket No: 50-255 License No: DPR-20 Report No: 05000255/2017301 Licensee: Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Facility: Palisades Nuclear Plant Location: Covert, MI Dates: February 13 through March 13, 2017 Inspectors: R. Baker, Operations Engineer, Chief Examiner R. K. Walton, Senior Operations Engineer, Examiner J. Kellum, Senior Reactor Engineer, Examiner B. Bergeon, Operations Engineer, Examiner Certification Approved by: R. Orlikowski, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1
SUMMARY
Examination Report 05000255/2017301; 02/13/2017 - 03/13/2017; Entergy Nuclear
Operations, Inc.; Palisades Nuclear Plant; Initial License Examination Report.
The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional Nuclear Regulatory Commission examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,
Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 10.
Examination Summary Eight Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and two Reactor Operator (RO) applicants were administered license examinations. One SRO applicant failed a portion of the operating test and was issued a proposed license denial letter. The remaining seven SRO and two RO applicants were issued Licenses. (Section 4OA5.1).
REPORT DETAILS
4OA5 Other Activities
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Examination Scope
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 10, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. NRC examiners prepared the outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, during the week of January 16, 2017. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited all of the 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 (JPMs)and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of February 13 through February 22, 2017. The NRC examiners, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, administered the written examination on February 21, 2017.
b. Findings
- (1) Written Examination During the validation of the written examination, several questions were modified or replaced. All changes made to the written examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and were documented on Form ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet.
The Form ES-401-9, the written examination outlines (ES-401-2 and ES-401-3), 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 NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) in 24 months. (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML17037C873, ML17037C879, ML17037C881, and ML17037C872, respectively.)
On March 13, 2017, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination.
The NRC examiners graded the written examination on March 15, 2017, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.
- (2) Operating Test During the validation of the operating test, modifications were made to several JPMs, and some modifications were made to the dynamic simulator scenarios. All changes made to the operating test were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and were documented in a document titled, Operating Test Comments, The Operating Test Comments document, the operating test outlines (ES-301-1, ES-301-2, and ES-D-1s), and both the proposed and final operating tests, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS in 24 months. (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML17037C873, ML17037C879, ML17037C881, and ML17037C872 respectively.)
During the administration of the walk-through portion of the operating test, one of the senior reactor operator (SRO) administrative JPMs required the use of an administrative procedure which contained inaccurate information. Use of the inaccurate information resulted in the applicants inability to successfully complete the task standard. Although the applicants did not accomplish the task standard, the applicants performance was judged to be satisfactory for this JPM because follow-up questioning revealed that the failure was caused by the deficiency in Administrative Procedure 4.11, Safety Function Determination Program, a factor beyond applicants control, as annotated above. The facility has placed the procedural issue into their corrective action program, as document CR-PLP-2017-00652, dated February 23, 2017, for resolution.
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on April 11, 2017.
- (3) Examination Results The eight applicants at the SRO level and the two applicants at the reactor operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests.
One SRO applicant failed a portion of the operating test and was issued a proposed license denial letter. The remaining seven SRO and two RO applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on April 11, 2017.
.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
No findings were identified.
4OA6 Management Meetings
.1 Debrief
The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on February 22, 2017, to Mr. C. Arnone, Site Vice President, and other members of the Palisades Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on March 16, 2017, with Mr. W. Nelson, Training Manager, by telephone. The NRC confirmed there were no post-examination comments. The chief examiner confirmed that no proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings. It was also confirmed that although the written examination, operating tests, outlines, and other related documentation, will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months, since one of your applicants failed a portion of the JPM section of the operating test, the applicant had been provided a copy of that portion of the test. The licensee should consider that portion of the operating test as publicly available.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- C. Arnone, Site Vice President
- B. Baker, Operations Manager - Shift
- T. Davis, Regulatory Assurance
- W. Nelson, Training Manager
- F. Korfius, Operations Training Supervisor
- V. Moceri, Operations Support Staff
- S. Botimer, Initial License Examination Author
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- A. Nguyen, Senior Resident Inspector
- R. Baker, Chief Examiner
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None