IR 05000285/2009301
| ML091310473 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fort Calhoun  |
| Issue date: | 05/07/2009 |
| From: | Ryan Lantz Operations Branch IV |
| To: | Reinhart J Omaha Public Power District |
| References | |
| 50-285/09-301 | |
| Download: ML091310473 (9) | |
Text
May 7, 2009
SUBJECT:
FORT CALHOUN STATION - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000285/2009301
Dear Mr. Conway:
On April 2, 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at Fort Calhoun Station. The enclosed report documents the examination findings and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination findings were discussed on April 2, 2009, with Mr. Tim Nellenbach, Division Manager Nuclear Operations, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on April 15, 2009, with Mr.
Dave Weaver, Manager Nuclear Training, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.
The examinations included the evaluation of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued. There were no post-examination comments submitted by your staff. The enclosure to this letter contains the details of this report.
No findings of significance were identified during this examination.
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 (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/
Ryan E. Lantz, Chief Operations Branch
Division of Reactor Safety UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION R E GI ON I V 612 EAST LAMAR BLVD, SUITE 400 ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011-4125
Omaha Public Power District
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Docket: 50-285 License: DPR-40
Enclosure:
NRC Examination Report 05000285/2009301
REGION IV==
Docket:
50-285 License:
DPR-40 Report:
05000285/2009301 Licensee:
Omaha Public Power District Facility:
Fort Calhoun Station Location:
Fort Calhoun Station FC-2-4 Adm.
P. O. Box 399, Highway 75 - North of Fort Calhoun Fort Calhoun, Nebraska Dates:
March 27-April 15, 2009 Inspectors:
Brian Larson, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer Steve Garchow, Senior Operations Engineer Mark Bates, Senior Operations Engineer (RII)
Approved By:
Ryan Lantz, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
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Enclosure
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER05000285/2009301; March 27-April 15, 2009; Fort Calhoun Station; Initial Operator
Licensing Examination Report.
NRC examiners evaluated the competency of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Fort Calhoun Station.
The licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The written examinations were administered by the licensee on March 27, 2009. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on March 30-April 2, 2009.
The examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55 and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
Licensee-Identified Violations
None.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
NRC examiners reviewed all license applications submitted to ensure each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. 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 of significance were identified.
.2 Examination Development
a. Scope
NRC examiners reviewed integrated examination outlines and draft examinations submitted by the licensee against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC examination team conducted an onsite validation of the operating test.
b. Findings
NRC examiners provided outline, draft examination and post-validation comments to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to examination administration.
NRC examiners determined that the operating tests initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
The Reactor Operator (RO) and Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) written examinations were determined to be outside of the acceptable quality range as identified in NUREG-1021. For the RO portion - 18 questions (24%) required significant modification or were replaced as a result of the NRC examiner review. For the SRO portion - 5 questions (20%) required significant modification or were replaced as a result of the NRC examiner review.
Flaws included not testing knowledge at the SRO level, insufficient match between question and Knowledge/Ability statement, questions containing more than one correct
answer, backward logic and non-credible distractors. Future written examination submittals need to incorporate lessons learned.
.3 Operator Knowledge and Performance
a. Scope
On March 27, 2009, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all six applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on April 7, 2009.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants on March 30-April 2, 2009.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
All applicants passed the written examination and all parts of the operating test. The final written examinations and post-examination analysis can be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment. There were no post-examination comments as indicated in the licensee submittal.
The examination team noted one generic weakness associated with applicant performance on the administrative section and one generic weakness on the simulator Job Performance Measure section of the operating tests. Three of four senior reactor operator applicants displayed a weakness in knowledge/familiarity with shift staffing administrative procedures by failing to recognize that a separate Auxiliary Operator Nuclear and Control Room Communicator are required to meet staffing requirements.
All six applicants displayed a deficiency in their ability to select the correct key for manipulations of a High Pressure Safety Injection header isolation valve during a time critical task. Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training or program feedback.
.4 Simulation Facility Performance
a. Scope
The NRC examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during examination validation and administration.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
.5 Examination Security
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed examination security for examination development during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with 10 CFR 55.49 and NUREG-1021. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Messrs. Tim Nellenbach, Division Manager Nuclear Operations, Pat Cronin, Manager Operations, Dave Weaver, Manager Nuclear Training, and other members of the staff on April 2, 2009. A telephonic exit was conducted on April 15, 2009, between Messrs. Brian Larson, Chief Examiner, and Mr. Dave Weaver, Manager Nuclear Training.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- T. Nellenbach, Division Manager, Nuclear Operations
- D. Weaver, Manager, Nuclear Training
- R. Cade, Manager, Operations Training and Simulator
- M. Ferm, Shift Manager, Standards
NRC Personnel
John Kirkland - NRC Senior Resident