IR 05000266/2024301
| ML24117A328 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Point Beach  |
| Issue date: | 04/29/2024 |
| From: | Paul Zurawski NRC/RGN-III/DORS/OB |
| To: | Durbin M Point Beach |
| Bergeon B. | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML22251A176 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-266/24-301, 50-301/24-301 | |
| Download: ML24117A328 (1) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000266/2024301; 05000301/2024301
Dear Michael Durbin:
On March 18, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Point Beach Nuclear Plant. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on March 07, 2024, with Jeffrey Hinze, Fleet Operations Training Supervisor, and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by teleconference on April 05, 2024, between Michael Durbin of your staff and Bryan Bergeon, Senior Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. During the telephone conversation, the NRC resolutions of any post-examination comments submitted by the facility, initially received by the NRC on March 18, 2024, were discussed.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of March 04, 2024. The written examination was administered by Point Beach Nuclear Plant training department personnel on March 13, 2024. Seven Senior Reactor Operator and five Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on April 01, 2024. Twelve applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Seven were issued senior operator licenses and five were issued operator licenses, effective April 03, 2024.
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 March 18, 2026. The enclosure contains details of this report.April 29, 2024 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, Paul J. Zurawski, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-266; 50-301 License Nos. DPR-24; DPR-27 Enclosure:
1. Examination Report 05000266/2024301; 05000301/2024301 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via LISTSERV R. Hastings, Training Manager Point Beach Nuclear Plant Signed by Zurawski, Paul on 04/29/24
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000266/2024301; 05000301/2024301; 03/04/2024-03/18/2024; 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 and program office Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.
Examination Summary:
Twelve of twelve applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Seven applicants were issued senior operator licenses, and five 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 January 29, 2024, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited all 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 and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of March 04, 2024 through March 07, 2024. The facility licensee administered the written examination on March 13, 2024.
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.
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 March 18, 2026 (ADAMS Accession Numbers for the following: administrative files ML22251A175, examination outlines ML22251A174, proposed exam ML22251A172, and as-administered exam ML22251A177, respectively).
On March 18, 2023, 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 22, 2024, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. Post-examination analysis revealed no generic weaknesses in applicant performance.
- (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 percent 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 March 18, 2026, (ADAMS Accession Numbers for the following: administrative files ML22251A175, examination outlines ML22251A174, proposed exam ML22251A172, and as-administered exam ML22251A177, respectively).
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on April 1, 2024.
Post-examination analysis revealed generic weaknesses in applicant performance in the areas of control room ventilation train operability, ruptured steam generator level control, the ability to determine locked valve positions, and knowledge associated with un-inhibiting radiation monitors. The licensee documented these general weaknesses in their corrective action program under condition report 2484351.
- (3) Examination Results
Seven applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and five applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Twelve applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on April 03, 2024.
.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 (10 CFR),
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 March 07, 2024, to Jeffrey Hinze, Fleet Operations Training Supervisor and other members of the Point Beach Nuclear Plants Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on April 05, 2024, with Michael Durbin by teleconference. The NRCs final disposition of the stations grading of the written examination and post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed. 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
Michael Durbin, Site Vice President
Randy Hastings, Training Manager
Eric Schultz, Regulatory Affairs Manager
Joseph Bryant, Operations Director
Bryan Woyak, Organizational Effectiveness Director
Douglas Scherwinski, Initial Licensed Training Supervisor
Ken Moore, Exam Project Manager/Author
Andrew Zommers, Exam Author
Jeffrey Hinze, Fleet Operations Training Supervisor
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- M. Stafford, Senior Resident Inspector
- V. Petrella, Resident Inspector
- B. Bergeon, Chief Examiner
- J. Seymour, Examiner
- J. DeMarshall, Examiner
- L. Rodriguez, Examiner
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None
LIST OF ACRONYMS USED
ADAMS Agencywide Document Access and Management System
NRC U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
RO Reactor Operator
SRO Senior Reactor Operator
SIMULATION FACILITY FIDELITY REPORT
Facility Licensee: Point Beach Nuclear Plant
Facility Docket No: 50-266; 50-301
Operating Tests Administered: March 04, 2024 through March 07, 2024
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
CFR 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
2