IR 05000272/2011301

NRC Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000272/2011301; 05000311/2011301

ML113360214
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	12/02/2011
From:	Diane Jackson Operations Branch I
To:	Joyce T Public Service Enterprise Group
Shared Package
ML110030673	List: IR 05000272/2011301 ML111610244 ML112590037 ML112650617 ML113330710 ML113330734 ML113330777 ML113330798 ML113330805 ML113340036 ML113340040 ML113340044 ML113340065 ML113500280 ML12167A076
References
50-272/11-301, 50-311/11-301
Download: ML113360214 (9)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION W

REGION I

475 ALLENDALE ROAD KING OF PRUSSIA. PA 19406-1415 December 2, 20Il Thomas President and Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC-N09 P. O. Box 230 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08039 SUBJECT: SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2.NRC INITIAL OPERATOR LI C ENSI NG EXAMI NATION REPORT O5OOO27 2I2O 1 1 30 1 ;

0500031 1t2011301

Dear Mr. Joyce:

On September 26, 2011, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

compteted an examination at Salem Nuclear Generating Station, units and 2.

documents the examination flndings, which *er" dis"ussed on t The enclosed report ruovemoei l-0,-zoll, with Mr. M. Kafantaris of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of one applicant for reactor operator license, six applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and'one applicant tor upgraoe senior operator license. The written and operating examinations were developed using-NUngc-tozt,

"operator Licensing Examination btandards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1.

The license examiners determined that four of the eight aiplicants satisfied the requirements of 10 cFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on November 10, 2,011.

No findings were identified during this examination.

Three applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses failed the written portion of their exams and were denied licenses. One applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license passed the exam, but his license is being held based on his written exam grades. Licenses for applicants with written exam passing graies of 82 percent or below are no-rmally held for review untilthose applicants who failed the eiamination have had an opportunity to appealtheir license denials.

In accordance with 10 cFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PA[S)'component of NRCs document system Agencywide Document Access and Management system (ADAMS).

ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http:/iwww.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely, a

a)Al dZ^. rV!/_(,,

)

Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-272:50-31 1 License Nos. DPR-70: DPR-75 Enclosure:

NRC Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 0500027 21201 1 30 1 and 05000 31 1 1201 1 30 1 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information cc wienclosure: Distribution via ListServ

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 0500027212011301; 0500031112011301; September 19 -26,2011; Salem Nuclear

Generating Station, Units 1 and2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of one applicant for reactor operator license, six applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and one applicant for upgrade senior operator license at Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1 and 2. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021 , "Opetator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The written examination was administered by the facility on September 26, 2011. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on September 19 - 22,2011. The license examiners determined that four of the eight applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

A. NRC-ldentifiedandSelf-RevealingFindinos No findings were identified.

B. Licensee-ldentified Violations None.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities lnitial or Operator License Examination

.1 License Apolications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all eight license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398,"Personal Qualification Statementj'and NRC Form 396, "Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee." The examiners also audited two of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications. This audit focused on the applicants experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

Findinos No findings were identified.

.2 Operator Knowledqe and Performanc-e

Examination Scope On September 26, 2011, the facility licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all eight applicants, The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on October 21 , 2011.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all eight applicants on September 19 - 22,2011. The one applicant for reactor operator license participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. Five applicants seeking an instant senior operator license participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios. The sixth applicant seeking an instant senior operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios. All of the applicants seeking instant senior operator licenses participated in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks. The one applicant for upgrade senior operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findinqs All eight of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. Three instant senior reactor operator applicants failed the written examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicant's score was 91.89 percent, the senior operator applicants' average score was 82.22 percent, and the individual scores ranged from 79.59 to 86.73 percent. The overallwritten examination average was 83.43 percent.

The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on November 9,2011, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG 1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis and submitted it to the chief examiner. Twelve questions were missed by at least half of the applicants. The licensee determined that their training material content pertaining to these questions was acceptable.

The licensee submitted three post-examination questions comments on October 21,2011. The NRC reviewed the facility's post-exam comment submittal package and accepted facility recommendations on two of the three questions.

Question #49 on the reactor operator exam and Question#14 on the senior reactor operator exam were deleted from the exams, as requested by the facility. The NRC did not accept Choice "A" as a second correct answer for the senior reactor operator Question #4, which was requested by the facility. The text of the examination questions and the licensee's post-examination comments with the NRC resolutions may be accessed in the Agencyrvide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment 1.

.3 Initial Licensinq Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on June 30, 2011. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1 021, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on August 3,2011. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on August 15,2011. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of August 15,2011. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution for the operating test on September 10,2011, and for the written exam on September 21, 2011.

b. Findinos The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings were identified.

.4 Simulation Facilitv Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findinqs No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Securitv

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findinss No findings were identified.

40A6 Meetinqs. lncludinq Exit The Chief Examiner presented the examination results to Mr. M. Kafantaris, Training Manager, on November 10, 2011. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary, ATTACHMENT 1

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

J. Carney, Operations Training Manager

G. Gauding, Exam Developer

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

NONE