IR 05000272/2025301
| ML25078A231 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Salem  |
| Issue date: | 03/19/2025 |
| From: | Sarah Elkhiamy NRC/RGN-I/DORS/OB |
| To: | Mcfeaters C Public Service Enterprise Group |
| References | |
| 50-272/25-301, 50-311/25-301 | |
| Download: ML25078A231 (1) | |
Text
March 19, 2025
SUBJECT:
SALEM NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000272/2025301 AND 05000311/2025301
Dear Charles McFeaters:
On January 22, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station facility. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on March 12, 2025, with William Muffley, Training Director, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of five applicants for reactor operator licenses and eight applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses. The facility licensee developed the written and operating examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12. The license examiners determined that seven of the thirteen applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on March 12, 2025.
The written examination, administered operating test, and documents related to the development and review (outlines, review comments and resolution, etc.) of the examination will be withheld from public disclosure until March 12, 2027. However, because six applicants received Preliminary Results Letters due to receiving a non-passing grade on the written examination, the applicants were provided copies of the written examination material. For examination security purposes, your staff should therefore consider the written examination material uncontrolled and exposed to the public.
No findings were identified during this examination. 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 10 CFR 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Sarah Elkhiamy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
Docket Nos.
05000272 and 05000311 License Nos. DPR-70 and DPR-75
Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000272/2025301 and 05000311/2025301 w/Attachments
cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ
SARAH ELKHIAMY Digitally signed by SARAH ELKHIAMY Date: 2025.03.19 12:36:45 -04'00'
SUMMARY
ER 05000272/2025301 and 05000311/2025301; January 13-22, 2025; Salem Nuclear Generating
Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.
Six NRC examiners evaluated the competency of five applicants for reactor operator licenses and eight applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the facility on January 22, 2025. NRC examiners administered the operating tests January 13 through 17, 2025.
The license examiners determined that seven of the thirteen applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on March 12, 2025.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
No findings were identified.
Licensee-Identified Violations
None.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
The examiners reviewed all 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 Statement, 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.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance
a. Examination Scope
On January 22, 2025, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on February 6, 2025.
The NRC examination team administered various portions of the operating examination January 13 through 17, 2025. The applicants for a reactor operator license participated in at least two dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of eleven system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses participated in at least two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
All applicants passed the operating test. All five applicants for reactor operator licenses and one applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license failed the written portion of the exam. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 70.3 percent and ranged from 69.3 to 78.6 percent. The senior operator applicants average score was 83.5 percent and ranged from 78.0 to 88.0 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of the written examination in ADAMS to the public will be delayed for two years.
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 the analysis to the chief examiner.
The facility also contested three questions and submitted their post-exam comments to the NRC on February 6, 2025. The contested questions and the NRCs response can be found in Attachment 1.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations during the week of December 3, 2024.
b. Findings
No findings were identified. 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.
.4 Simulation Facility Performance
a. Examination Scope
The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.5 Examination Security
a. Examination Scope
The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12, requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The chief examiner presented the examination results to William Muffley, Training Director, and other members of the licensee's staff on March 12, 2025. The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ATTACHMENT 1:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- S. Miller, Exam Development
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
NONE