IR 05000266/2015301
| ML15099A522 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Point Beach  |
| Issue date: | 04/09/2015 |
| From: | Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III |
| To: | Mccartney E Point Beach |
| References | |
| 50-266/15-301, 50-301/15-301 50-266/OL-15, 50-301/OL-15 | |
| Download: ML15099A522 (9) | |
Text
April 9, 2015
SUBJECT:
POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000266/2015301; 05000301/2015301
Dear Mr. McCartney:
On March 6, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed your Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 & 2. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on March 3, 2015, with you and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on March 23, 2015, between Mr. J. Pierce, Interim Training Manager, of your staff, and Mr. D. McNeil, NRC Senior Operations Engineer, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. During the telephone conversation, it was confirmed with Mr. Pierce, that the station had no post examination comments and the station requested the proposed and administered written examinations be withheld from public release until March 2017. The examinations will be withheld for 24 months per your request.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the weeks of February 23 and March 2, 2015. The written examination was administered by Point Beach Nuclear Plant Training Department personnel on March 4, 2015. Six Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and six Reactor Operator (RO) applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on March 30, 2015. All applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and were issued applicable operator licenses.
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 Bruce Palagi Acting for/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-266; 50-301 License Nos. DPR-24; DPR-27
Enclosures:
1. Operator Licensing Exam Report (ER)
05000266/2015301; 05000301/2015301 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report
REGION III==
Docket Nos:
50-266; 50-301 License Nos:
05000266/2015301; 05000301/2015301 Licensee:
NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC Facility:
Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location:
Two Rivers, WI Dates:
February 23, 2015 - March 6, 2015 Inspectors:
D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer
M. Bielby, Senior Operations Engineer
T. Kolb, Senior Operations Engineer Approved by:
H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000266/2015301; 05000301/2015301; 02/23/2015 - 03/06/2015; NextEra Energy Point
Beach, LLC; Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2; Initial License Examination Report.
The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,
Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9-Supplement 1.
Examination Summary Twelve of twelve applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Six applicants were issued Senior Operator licenses and six applicants were issued Operator 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 9-Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of January 26, 2015, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff.
During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited twelve 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 23, 2015, through March 3, 2015. The facility licensee administered the written examination on March 4, 2015.
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 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).
On March 6, 2015, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination. The proposed written examination (ADAMS Accession Number ML15076A390), as well as the final as-administered examination and answer key (ADAMS Accession Number ML15077A231), 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 examiners graded the written examination on March 13, 2015, 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.
Changes made to the operating test, documented in a document titled, Operating Test Comments, as well as the final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, are available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS.
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on March 13, 2015.
- (3) Examination Results Six applicants at the SRO level and six applicants at the RO level were administered written examinations and operating tests. All applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on March 30, 2015.
.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
No findings were identified.
4OA6 Management Meetings
.1 Debrief
The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on March 3, 2015, to Mr. E. McCartney, Site Vice President, and other members of the Point Beach Nuclear Plant Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on March 23, 2015, with Mr. J. Pierce, Interim Training Manager, Point Beach Nuclear Plant, by telephone. The NRCs final grading of the written examination and operating tests were disclosed and discussed with Mr. Pierce during the telephone discussion. The examiners asked Mr. Pierce whether any of the material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. One test item was identified as proprietary information and will be withheld from the examination material released to the public. Mr. Pierce confirmed there were no post-examination comments.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- E. McCartney, Site Vice President
- R. Amundson, Regulatory Exam Coordinator
- D. DeBoer, Plant Manager
- A. Gustafson, Operations Training Supervisor - Continuing
- R. Hastings, Assistant Operations Manager - Training
- T. Larson, Exam Project Operations Supervisor
- J. Pierce, Plant Training Manager
- E. Salzwedel, Operations Training Supervisor - Initial
- E. Schultz, Operations Manager - Line
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- D. Oliver, Senior Resident Inspector
- K. Barclay, Resident Inspector
- D. McNeil, Chief Examiner
- M. Bielby, Examiner
- T. Kolb, Examiner
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None