IR 05000285/2004301

Er 05000285-04-301 on March 15-18, 2004; Fort Calhoun Station, Initial Operator Licensing Examination

ML041100244
Person / Time
Site:	Fort Calhoun
Issue date:	04/16/2004
From:	Gody A Operations Branch IV
To:	Ridenoure R Omaha Public Power District
References
50-285/04-301 50-285/04-301
Download: ML041100244 (9)

Text

ril 16, 2004

SUBJECT:

FORT CALHOUN STATION- NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000285/2004-301

Dear Mr. Ridenoure:

On March 18, 2004, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator licensing examination at Fort Calhoun Station. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on March 18, 2004, with you and other members of your staff.

The examination included an evaluation of six applicants for operator licenses and four applicants for senior operator licenses. The examinations were developed using NUREG-1021,

"Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Draft Revision 9. The examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

No findings of significance were identified.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosure(s), and your response will be made available electronically for public inspection 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 Docket: 50-285 License: DPR-40

Omaha Public Power District -2-

Enclosure:

NRC Inspection Report 05000285/2004-301

REGION IV==

Docket: 50-285 License: DPR-40 Report No.: 05000285/2004-301 Licensee: Omaha Public Power District Facility: Fort Calhoun Station Location: Ft. Calhoun, NE Dates: March 15-18, 2004 Inspectors: M. Murphy, Senior Operations Engineer, Operations Branch T. Stetka, Senior Operations Engineer, Operations Branch G. Werner, Senior Operations Engineer, Operations Branch J. Drake, Operations Engineer, Operations Branch Approved By: A. Gody, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

-2-SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ER 05000285/2004-301 on March 15-18, 2004; Fort Calhoun Station, initial operator licensing examination.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of six applicants for operator licenses and four applicants for senior operator licenses. The licensee developed the examination using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Draft Revision 9. The licensee provided proctors for the administration of the written examination to all applicants on March 12, 2004, in accordance with instructions provided by the chief examiner. The NRC examiners administered the operating test on March 15-18, 2004.

No findings of significance were identified.

REPORT DETAILS 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES 4OA4 Initial License Examination

.1 Operator Knowledge and Performance a. Examination Scope The NRC examination team administered the operating test to the 10 applicants on March 15-18, 2004. The reactor operator applicants participated in two or three dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of 1 task in each of four areas.

The 2 applicants for upgrading their operator license to a senior operator license participated in three scenarios and took a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 5 system tasks. The 2 applicants seeking an instant senior operator license participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, and took a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 10 system tasks. The administrative test for all senior operator applicants consisted of performing tasks in five areas.

On March 12, 2004, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 10 applicants and provided the proposed grades together with the performance analysis to the NRC for approval.

b. Findings All applicants passed all parts of the examinations. For the written examinations, the average score for the operator applicants was 91 percent, and the average score for senior operator applicants was 93 percent. The operator applicant scores ranged from 87 to 96 percent, and the senior operator applicant scores ranged from 90 to 96 percent.

The licensee conducted a performance analysis for the written examinations with emphasis on five questions missed by half or more of the applicants. After reviewing the licensees analysis, the examiners concluded that all questions were valid and that there were only minor training deficiencies requiring the licensee to address in its corrective action program. Licensee personnel indicated that any training deficiencies would also be reviewed to determine impact on licensed operator requalification training.

There were no post-examination comments provided on examination questions. The text of the examination questions and the performance analysis may be accessed in the ADAMS system as noted in the attachment.

.2 Initial Licensing Examination Development The licensee developed the examination in accordance with NUREG-1021, Draft Revision 9. Licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination development were on a security agreement.

-2-

.2.1 Operating Examination Outline and Examination Package a. Examination Scope The licensee staff submitted the operating test outlines on November 25, 2003. The chief examiner reviewed the submittal against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Draft Revision 9. The draft examination package was received by the NRC on January 20, 2004. Examiners reviewed the examination against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Draft Revision 9, and provided comments to the licensee on January 26, 2004. The chief examiner conducted an onsite validation of the examinations and provided further comments during the week of February 9, 2004.

b. Findings Examiners approved the initial examination outline with minor comments and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The chief examiner determined that the material initially submitted by the licensee staff were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings of significance were identified.

.2.2 Simulation Facility Performance a. Scope The examination team observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings No findings of significance were identified.

2.3 Examination Security a. Scope The examiners reviewed examination security both during the onsite preparation and examination administration weeks with respect to NUREG-1021 requirements.

b. Findings No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit On March 18, 2004, the examiners presented the examination results to Mr. R. and other members of his staff who acknowledged the findings.

The inspectors confirmed that proprietary information was not provided or reviewed during the examination process.

ATTACHMENT KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Licensee personnel D. Bannister, Plant Manager G. Cavanaugh, Supervisor, Station Licensing R. Clemens, Division Manager, Nuclear Assessment P. Cronin, Manager, Shift Operations D. Dryden, Licensing J. Goodell, Manager, Operations J. Herman, Manager, Nuclear Licensing J. Kuzela, Operations Training Instructor R. Ridenoure, Vice President, Nuclear M. Tesar, Division Manger, NSSD D. Weaver, Supervisor, Operations and Technical Training R. Westcott, Manager, Training NRC personnel John Kramer, Senior Resident, Fort Calhoun Station ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED Accession No.: ML041050781 - Reactor and Senior operator written examination Accession No.: ML041050785 - Written examination performance analysis and applicant questions