IR 05000275/2002301

Er 05000275-02-301 & Er 05000323-02-301, on 10/28-11/1/2002, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Initial Examination of Applicants for Operator Licenses

ML023250182
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	11/20/2002
From:	Gody A Operations Branch IV
To:	Rueger G Pacific Gas & Electric Co
References
50-275/02301, 50-323/02301 50-275/02301, 50-323/02301
Download: ML023250182 (11)

Text

ber 20, 2002

SUBJECT:

NRC OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 50-275/02-301; 50-323/02-301

Dear Mr. Rueger:

On November 1, 2002, the NRC completed an examination at your Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination findings which were discussed on November 1, 2002, with Paul Roller, Maintenance Director, and other members of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of 7 applicants for reactor operator licenses and 3 applicants for senior operator licenses. We determined that 9 of the 10 applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRCs "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and your response will be made available electronically for public examination in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRCs document 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/

Anthony T. Gody, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Dockets: 50-275; 50-323 Licenses: DPR-80; DPR-82

Enclosure:

NRC Examination Report 50-275/02-301; 50-323/02-301

Pacific Gas and Electric Company -2-

REGION IV==

Dockets: 50-275; 50-323 Licenses: DPR-80; DPR-82 Report No.: 50-275/02-301; 50-323/02-301 Licensee: Pacific Gas and Electric Company Facility: Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location: 7 1/2 miles NW of Avila Beach Avila Beach, California Dates: October 28 through November 1, 2002 Inspectors: G. Johnston, Sr. Operations Engineer T. McKernon, Sr. Operations Engineer P. Gage, Sr. Operations Engineer Approved By: A. Gody, Chief, Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

-2-SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ER 05000275/323-02-301, on 10/28-11/1/2002, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, initial examination of applicants for operator licenses.

An NRC examination team evaluated the competency of 7 applicants for reactor operator and 3 applicants for senior operator licenses at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2. The facility developed the written and operating examinations using NUREG-1021,

"Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 8, Supplement 1.

The written examinations were administered to all applicants on October 25, 2002, by facility proctors, and monitored by the NRC, in accordance with instructions provided by the chief examiner. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests October 28 through November 1, 2002.

• No findings of significance were identified.

Report Details 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES 4OA4 Initial License Examinations

.1 Operator Knowledge and Performance a. Examination Scope On October 25, 2002, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examination to all 10 applicants. The NRC monitored the proctoring of the examination and noted that the written examination was appropriately proctored, security met the requirements of NUREG 1021, and the clarification of questions proffered by the applicants was appropriate to the circumstances of the questions involved. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on November 1, 2002.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to the applicants on October 28 - November 1, 2002. The seven applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The two applicants that were upgrading from a reactor operator license to a senior operator license participated in one dynamic simulator scenario apiece, while one senior operator applicant participated in two dynamic scenarios. The two upgrade senior operator license applicants participated in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks. The single senior operator license applicant participated in, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findings Nine of the ten applicants passed all parts of the examinations. One upgrade senior operator applicant failed the administrative section of the operating test. The examiners determined that the applicant who failed, did not demonstrate performance that compromised the applicants status at the time as a licensed reactor operator. The applicants demonstrated good 3-way communications, alarm response, and peer checking. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 91.8 percent and ranged from 88 to 98 percent. The scores for the senior operator applicants averaged 91.3 percent and ranged from 89 to 93 percent. The overall written examination average was 91.7 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under accession number noted in the attachment.

The licensee conducted a performance analysis for the written examinations with emphasis on three questions missed by half or more of the applicable applicants. The licensee concluded that there were no commonalities in the knowledge deficiencies.

The licensee recommended that no questions be modified to accept other answers or deleted from the written examination. The chief examiner reviewed the licensees

-2-analysis and applicant performance and found the conclusions to be technically valid.

The licensee scheduled an exam review with the applicants to provide remedial training to address the knowledge deficiencies.

No findings of significance were identified.

.2 Initial Licensing Examination Development The licensee developed the written and operating examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 8, Supplement 1, using facility training and operations staff on the security agreement.

.2.1 Examination Outline and Examination Package a. Examination Scope The facility licensee submitted the operating examination outlines on July 28, 2002. The chief examiner reviewed the submittal against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 8, Supplement 1, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft operating examination package on July 28, 2002, at the request of the chief examiner to accommodate the examiners work schedule. The chief examiner reviewed the draft submittal against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 8, Supplement 1, and provided comments to the licensee on the operating examination on August 4, 2002. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the period of October 7-9, 2002. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on October 21, 2002. The licensee declined to submit a letter as there were no comments identified.

b. Findings Region IV 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 of significance were identified.

.3 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 of significance were identified.

-3-

.4 Examination Security a. Scope The examiners reviewed examination security both during the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021 requirements.

Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed. An examiner was present during the administration of the written examination on October 25, 2002, and observed the administration of security to determine that it was maintained as described in the facility examination procedures.

b. Observations and Findings No findings of significance were identified.

40A5 Management Meetings

.1 Exit Meeting Summary The chief examiner presented the examination results to Mr. Paul Roller, Maintenance Director, and facility staff personnel at the conclusion of the examination on November 1, 2002. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

The licensee identified no information or materials during the examination as proprietary.

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Licensee G. Anderson, Assistant Operations Manager D. Burns, Learning Services Supervisor G. Goelzer, Operations Supervisor J. Haynes, Learning Services Supervisor R. Jett, Regulatory Services Engineer T. King, Learning Services Manager P. Roller, Maintenance Director M. Wright, Operations Manager NRC D. Proulx, Senior Resident Inspector ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED Accession No.:

ML023220665 Final Reference Examination