IR 05000263/2022301

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NRC Initial License Examination Report 05000263/2022301
ML22322A247
Person / Time
Site: Monticello Xcel Energy icon.png
Issue date: 11/21/2022
From: Robert Orlikowski
NRC/RGN-III/DORS/OB
To: Domingos C
Northern States Power Company, Minnesota
Baker R
Shared Package
ML21188A294 List:
References
IR 2022301
Download: ML22322A247 (10)


Text

SUBJECT:

MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT - NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000263/2022301

Dear Mr. Domingos:

On November 7, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations.

Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on October 20, 2022, with Mr. S. Hafen, Monticello Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by teleconference on November 10, 2022, between Mr. S. Hafen, Monticello Plant Manager of your staff, and Mr. R. Baker, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. The NRC also confirmed that the station submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration during NRC grading of the examination.

The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of October 17, 2022. The written examination was administered by Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant training department personnel on October 25, 2022. Six Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on November 17, 2022. Nine applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Six were issued senior operator licenses and three were issued operator licenses.

The as-administered written examination and operating test, as well as documents related to the development and review (outlines, review comments and resolution, etc.) of the examination will be withheld from public disclosure until November 7, 2024.

November 21, 2022 This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.

Sincerely, Robert J. Orlikowski, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-263 License No. DPR-22 Enclosure:

1. OL Examination Report 05000263/2022301 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via LISTSERV S. Spillum, Director Nuclear Training Monticello Signed by Orlikowski, Robert on 11/21/22

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000263/2022301; October 17, 2022 - November 7, 2022; Northern States Power

Company, Minnesota, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. Initial License Examination Report.

The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,

Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.

Examination Summary:

Nine applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Six applicants were issued senior operator licenses and three applicants were issued operator licenses.

(Section 4OA5.1)

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The NRC examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. The written examination outlines were prepared by the NRC staff and were transmitted to the facility licensees staff. Members of the facility licensees staff developed the operating test outlines and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of September 12, 2022, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited one reactor operator and two senior reactor operator 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 and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of October 17, 2022, through October 21, 2022.

The facility licensee administered the written examination on October 25, 2022.

b. Findings

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

Less than 20% of the proposed examination questions were determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.

During validation of the written examination, several questions were modified or replaced. 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 2.3-5, Written Examination Review Worksheet.

The Form 2.3-5, the written examination outlines, 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 NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) on November 7, 2024, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML21188A293, ML21188A291, ML21188A292, ML21188A296 respectively).

On November 7, 2022, 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 November 7, 2022, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

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

Less than 20% of the proposed operating test portion of the examination was determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.

During the validation of the operating test, several Job Performance Measures (JPMs)were modified or replaced, and some modifications were made to the dynamic simulator scenarios. Changes made to the operating test portion of the examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form 2.3-3, Operating Test Review Worksheet. The Form 2.3-3, the operating test outlines, and both the proposed and final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS on November 7, 2024, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML21188A293, ML21188A291, ML21188A292, ML21188A296 respectively).

The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on November 17, 2022.

(3) Examination Results Six applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Nine applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on November 17, 2022.

.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 Title 10 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

None

4OA6 Meetings

.1 Debrief

The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on October 20, 2022, to Mr. S. Hafen, Monticello Plant Manager, and other members of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Operations and Training Department staff.

.2 Exit Meeting

The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on November 10, 2022, with Mr. S. Hafen, Monticello Plant Manager by teleconference. The NRCs final disposition of the stations grading of the written examination and post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed during the telephone. The chief examiner asked the licensee whether any of the retained submitted 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

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

C. Domingos, Site Vice President
S. Hafen, Monticello Plant Manager
T. Borgen, General Manager Nuclear Fleet Ops
M. Petersen, Simulator Fleet General Supervisor
S. Spillum, Director Nuclear Training Manager
G. Hernandez, Regulatory Affairs Manager
K. Nyberg, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Director Site Performance and Operations

Support

D. Cox, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Training Supervisor
D. Solon, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Training Supervisor
R. Becker, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant NRC Exam Developer
S. Gundlach, Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Instructor Operations

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

R. Orlikowski, Operations Branch Chief
C. Norton, Senior Resident Inspector
T. McGowan, Resident Inspector
R. Baker, Senior Operations Engineer, Chief Examiner
T. Iskierka-Boggs, Senior Operations Engineer, Examiner
J. Robbins, Operations Engineer, Examiner

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None

LIST OF ACRONYMS USED

ADAMS

Agency-Wide Document Access and Management System

NRC

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

SIMULATION FACILITY FIDELITY REPORT

Facility Licensee:

Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant

Facility Docket No:

50-263

Operating Tests Administered:

October 17, 2022 through October 20, 2022

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 Title10 of

the Code of Federal Regulations 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

None

N/A