IR 05000259/2011302

Er 05000259-11-302, 05000260-11-302, and 05000296-11-302, Operating Test August 8 - 12, 2011 & Written Exam August 19, 2011; Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Operator License Examinations

ML112640385
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	09/19/2011
From:	Mark Franke Division of Reactor Safety II
To:	Krich R Tennessee Valley Authority
References
50-259/11-302, 50-260/11-302, 50-296/11-302
Download: ML112640385 (11)

Text

UNITED STATES tember 19, 2011

SUBJECT:

BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000259/2011302, 05000260/2011302, AND 05000296/2011302

Dear Mr. Krich:

During the period August 8 - 12, 2011, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating tests with those members of the plant staff identified in the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by the plant training department staff on August 19, 2011.

Four Reactor Operator (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. One RO applicant failed both the written and operating exam. Four RO applicants and one SRO applicant failed the written examination.

There were no post-examination comments. A Simulator Fidelity Report is included in this report as Enclosure 2.

The initial operating examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination. All examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the plant training staff were made according to NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of the NRCs document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

TVA 2 If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 997- 4436

Sincerely,

/RA: Malcolm Widmann for/

Mark E. Franke, Chief Operations Branch 2 Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos: 50-259, 50-260, 50-296 License Nos: DPR-33, DPR-52, DPR-68

Enclosures:

1 Report Details 2. Simulator Fidelity Report

REGION II==

Docket No.: 50-259, 50-260, AND 50-296 License No.: DPR-33, DPR-52, and DPR-68 Report No.: 05000259/2011302, 05000260/2011302, and 05000296/2011302 Licensee: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), LLC Facility: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3 Location: Athens, AL 35611 Dates: Operating Test - August 8 - 12, 2011 Written Examination - August 19, 2011 Examiners: Bruno Caballero, Chief, Senior Operations Engineer, RII/DRS/OLB2 Edwin Lea, Senior Operations Engineer, RII/DRS/OLB2 Mark Riches, Operations Engineer, RII/DRS/OLB1 Gabe Apger, Senior Operations Engineer, RIV/DRS/OLB Approved by: Mark E. Franke, Chief Operations Branch 2 Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000259/2011302, 05000260/2011302, and 05000296/2011302; operating test August 8 -

12, 2011 & written exam August 19, 2011; Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Operator License Examinations.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in accordance with the guidelines in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicable.

The operating tests were developed by members of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant staff and the written examination was developed by the NRC.

The NRC administered the operating tests during the period August 8 - 12, 2011. Members of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on August 19, 2011. Four Reactor Operator (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. Five applicants were issued licenses commensurate with the level of examination administered. Two applicants were issued a letter stating that they passed the examination and issuance of their license has been delayed pending any written examination appeals that may impact the licensing decision for their application.

There were no post-examination comments.

No findings were identified.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations

a. Inspection Scope

The operating tests were developed by members of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant staff and the written examination was developed by the NRC. All examination material was developed in accordance with the guidelines contained in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors."

The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examination. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.

The NRC reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR §55.49, Integrity of examinations and tests. The potential for an exam security compromise occurred on May 23, 2011 (SR# 374670) when the Unit 3 simulator computers were prematurely reconnected to the network; however, no actual exam compromise occurred.

The NRC examiners evaluated eight Reactor Operator (RO) and four Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating tests during the period August 8 - 12, 2011.

Members of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on August 19, 2011. Evaluations of applicants and reviews of associated documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licenses to operate the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55, Operators Licenses.

b. Findings

No findings were identified. The NRC determined, using NUREG-1021, that the licensees initial operating examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

Four RO applicants and three SRO applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. Three RO applicants and one SRO applicant passed the operating test but did not pass the written examination. One RO applicant failed both the written and operating exam. Additionally, one RO retake applicant, who was waived from taking the operating exam, did not pass the written examination. Two RO applicants and three SRO applicants were issued licenses.

Two RO applicants passed the operating test, but passed the written examination with overall scores between 80% and 82%. Each of these applicants was issued a letter stating that they passed the examination and issuance of their license has been delayed pending any written examination appeals that may impact the licensing decision for their application.

During administration of the operating exam, the examiners noted the following generic weaknesses.

• During exam scenarios, after the control rod drive (CRD) flow controller had failed to operate in the automatic mode, the applicants did not promptly restore system flow by operating the controller in manual mode, which resulted in several CRD temperatures exceeding 350 °F, which was an operability concern.

• During job performance measures (JPMs), several applicants did not locate 1-FCV-23-57, Standby Coolant Valve from RHRSW.

• During JPMs, most of the applicants did not readily locate the main steam line drain valves position indicator, ZI-1-174, at Panel 9-3.

• During an alternate path JPM associated with emergency venting the drywell via the suppression chamber hardened vent valves, several applicants still attempted to open the inboard hardened vent valve even though the outboard hardened vent valve (in series) had already failed to open. Consequently, in two instances, the primary containment pressure exceeded 55 psig before the applicants abandoned the hardened vent valves and continued in the procedure to vent the drywell directly to the reactor building.

Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial training.

The licensee did not submit any post-examination comments. A copy of the final RO and SRO written examinations and answer keys, with all changes incorporated, may be accessed not earlier than August 19, 2013, in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML112370110 and ML112370111, respectively).

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

Exit Meeting Summary

On August 12, 2011, the NRC Chief Examiner discussed generic issues associated with the operating test with Daniel L. Hughes, Operations Manager, and members of the Browns Ferry staff. The examiners asked the licensee if any of the examination material was proprietary. The information that the licensee identified as proprietary was handled in a manner consistent with NRC and licensee guidelines for this type of information.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee personnel

D. L. Hughes, Operations Manager

Matthew

M. Rasmussen, Operations Superintendent

Micah Nash, Operations Shift Manager

Joe Bennett, Operations Unit Supervisor

David Malinowski, Operations Training Manager

Barry

D. Tidwell, Training Supervisor

Dan Zielinski, Exam Team Developer

David

C. Matherly, Senior Manager, BFN Focus

Gerald

J. Doyle, Assistant Site Vice President Technical Assistant

James Emens, Site Licensing Manager

James

W. Davenport, Site Licensing

Cris Boschetti, BFN Quality Assurance Manager

Steve Bono, BFN Maintenance Manager

Bill Nurenberger, Work Control Manager

Robert Norris, Radiation Protection Manager

Michael Durr, Engineering Director

Steve Brown, Projects Supervisor

NRC personnel

Thierry Ross, Senior Resident Inspector

SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: Browns Ferry

Facility Docket No.: 50-259, 50-260, and 50-296

Operating Test Administered: August 8 - 12, 2011

This form is used only to report observations. The observations do not constitute audit or

inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with Inspection

Procedure 71111.11 are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee

action is required in response to these observations.

No simulator fidelity or configuration issues were identified.

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