IR 05000263/2010301
| ML110280232 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello  |
| Issue date: | 01/28/2011 |
| From: | Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III |
| To: | O'Connor T Northern States Power Co |
| References | |
| 50-263/10-310 | |
| Download: ML110280232 (12) | |
Text
ary 28, 2011
SUBJECT:
MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000263/2010301(DRS)
Dear Mr. OConnor:
On December 22, 2010, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an NRC Initial License Examination at your Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The enclosed report documents the results of the examination which were discussed on December 17, 2010, with Mr. J. Grubb, Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on December 23, 2010, between Mr. R. Becker, Training Instructor, of your staff and Mr. D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer, to review the station=s post examination comments and the proposed final written examination grading key.
The NRC examiners administered the initial license examination operating test during the weeks of December 5 and December 12, 2010. The written examination was administered by Monticello Plant Training Department personnel on December 17, 2010. Eleven Senior Reactor Operator and five Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on January 14, 2011. All sixteen applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Twelve applicants were issued applicable operator licenses. Four Reactor Operator licenses were withheld pending completion of experience requirements. Upon certification by the site vice-president, in writing, to the NRC that the experience requirements are complete, the withheld licenses will be issued.
The written examination and other related written examination related documentation will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months per your Monticello Plant Training Department verbal request. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "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 System (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Sincerely,
/RA by R. K. Walton for/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22
Enclosures:
1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000263/2010301(DRS)
w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report 3. Written Examinations and Answer Keys
REGION III==
Docket No: 50-263 License No: DPR-22 Report No: 05000263/2010301(DRS)
Licensee: Northern States Power Company, Minnesota Facility: Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Location: Monticello, MN Dates: December 6 to December 22, 2010 Inspectors: D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer C. Moore, Operations Engineer C. Zoia, Operations Engineer Approved by: H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000263/2010301(DRS); 12/06/2010 - 12/22/2010; Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant;
Northern States Power Company, Minnesota; 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, AOperator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,@ Revision 9.
Examination Summary:
Sixteen applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Twelve were issued applicable operator licenses. Four reactor operator applicant licenses were withheld pending completion of experience requirements. (Section 4OA5.1).
NRC-Identified
and Self-Revealed Findings
Cornerstone: All
No findings of significance were identified.
Licensee-Identified Violations
No violations of significance were identified.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Examination Scope
Members of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Training Department staff prepared the examination outline, and developed the written examination, and the operating test.
The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of November 15, 2010, at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Training Building with the assistance of members of the licensee training staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited five license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners conducted the operating portion of the initial license examination during the weeks of December 6, 2010, and December 12, 2010. Members of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Training Department staff administered the written examination on December 17, 2010. The NRC examiners used the guidance established in NUREG-1021, AOperator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,@ Revision 9, to validate, revise, administer, and grade the examination.
b. Findings
Written Examination During the validation of the written examination several questions were modified or replaced. Changes made to the written examination were documented on Form ES-401-9, AWritten Examination Review Worksheet@ which is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). Because the number of questions determined to be unsatisfactory did not exceed 20 percent of the total number of examination questions submitted, the proposed written examination met the NRCs expectations for a proposed examination. The licensee submitted no written examination post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination. The NRC examiners graded the written examination on January 10, 2011, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.
Operating Test During the validation of the operating test, some Job Performance Measures were enhanced and some modifications made to the dynamic simulator scenarios.
The changes made to the operating test were minor in nature and constituted less than 20 percent of the operating test. The submitted operating test met the NRCs expectations for a licensee developed operating test. Changes made to the operating test were documented in a document titled, AOperating Test Comments,@ which is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on January 13, 2011.
Examination Results Eleven applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and five applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written and operating tests. None of the SRO applicants were previously licensed as ROs at Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. All applicants passed all portions of their examinations. Twelve applicants were issued applicable operating licenses. Four RO applicants had not completed all experience requirements to receive an operating license and their licenses were withheld. The four applicants will receive their operating licenses when the site vice-president certifies to the NRC, in writing, that all experience requirements for the applicants is complete.
.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 10 CFR 55.49, AIntegrity 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 licensee=s examination security activities.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
4OA6 Meetings
Debrief The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on December 17, 2010, to Mr. J. Grubb, Plant Manager, and other members of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Operations and Training Department staff.
The licensee staff confirmed that they desired the written examination be withheld from public release for 24 months.
Exit Meeting The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on December 23, 2010, with Mr. R. Becker, Initial License Examination Author, by telephone. The NRC Chief Examiner noted that there were no post-examination comments. The proposed answer key became the final answer key and was used to grade the written examination.
The examiners 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 debrief/exit meetings.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- J. Grubb, Plant Manager
- G. Allex, General Supervisor Operations Training
- P. Kissinger, Assistant Operations Manager
- B. Koenig, Shift Manager
- P. Nogaard, LORT Supervisor
- M. Peterson, General Supervisor NRC Exams
- T. Shortell, Plant Training Manager
- J. Sternisha, General Manager - Nuclear Training
NRC
- D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer
- C. Moore, Operations Engineer
- C. Zoia, Operations Engineer
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed and Discussed
None