IR 05000266/2012301
| ML13018A016 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Point Beach  |
| Issue date: | 01/17/2013 |
| From: | Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III |
| To: | Meyer L Point Beach |
| Shared Package | |
| ML12264A583 | List: |
| References | |
| ER-12-301 | |
| Download: ML13018A016 (12) | |
Text
January 17, 2013
SUBJECT:
POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2; NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000301/2012301; 05000266/2012301; AND 07200005/2012301
Dear Mr. Meyer:
On December 14, 2012, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on December 7, 2012, with Mr. R. Wright and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on December 17, 2012, between Mr. D. Lauterbur of your staff and Mr. Charles Zoia, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. There were no post-exam comments for this exam.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of December 3, 2012. The written examination was administered by Point Beach Nuclear Plant training department personnel on December 8, 2012. Four Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on January 7, 2013. Seven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and four were issued senior operator licenses and two were issued operator licenses. The license for one Reactor Operator applicant was withheld pending written certification that the applicant met all required medical restrictions.
The proposed and final written examinations and answer keys will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months per your request.
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 System (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Sincerely,
/RA/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos. 50-266, 50-301;72-005 License Nos. DPR-24; DPR-27
Enclosures:
1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000301/2012301; 05000266/2012301; and 7200005/2012301 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report
REGION III==
Docket Nos:
50-266; 50-301;72-005 License Nos:
DRP-24; DPR 27
Report Nos:
05000266/2012301; 05000301/2012301; and 07200005/2012301
Licensee:
NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC Facility:
Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location:
Two Rivers, WI Dates:
December 3 - 14, 2012 Inspectors:
C. Zoia, Operations Engineer
D. Reeser, Operations Engineer
R. Baker, Operations Engineer
Approved by:
H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosure 1
SUMMARY
OF RESULTS
ER 05000266/2012301; 05000301/2012301; and 07200005/2012301; 12/03/2012 - 12/14/2012;
NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC; Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2; Initial License Examination Report.
The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,
"Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1.
Examination Summary All seven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Four applicants were issued senior operator licenses and two applicants were issued operator licenses. The license for one Reactor Operator applicant was withheld pending written certification that the applicant met all required medical restrictions. (Section 4OA5.1)
REPORT DETAILS
4OA5 Other Activities
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Examination Scope
The NRC examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9 - Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of November 5, 2012, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures (JPMs) and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of December 3, 2012, through December 7, 2012.
The facility licensee administered the written examination on December 8, 2012.
b. Findings
- (1) Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
Less than 20 percent of the proposed examination questions were determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement. All changes made to the proposed written examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet.
On December 14, 2012, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination. The final as-administered written examination and answer key (ADAMS Accession Number ML13016A280) will be available in 24 months electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).
The NRC examiners graded the written examination on December 17, 2012, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.
- (2) Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
Changes made to the operating test, documented in a document titled, "Operating Test Comments," as well as the final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, are available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from ADAMS.
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on January 7, 2013.
- (3) Examination Results Four applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. All seven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Four applicants were issued senior operator licenses and two applicants were issued operator licenses. The license for one Reactor Operator applicant was withheld pending written certification that the applicant met all required medical restrictions.
.2 Examination Security
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed and observed the licensee's implementation of examination security requirements during the examination validation and administration to assure compliance with 10 CFR 55.49, "Integrity of Examinations and Tests." The examiners used the guidelines provided in NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," to determine acceptability of the licensees examination security activities.
b. Findings
A minor examination security procedure violation occurred about one month prior to the NRCs validation of the examination material. On October 8, 2012, an initial license candidate received an end-of-card checkout from a Radiation Protection (RP) supervisor who had signed the Initial NRC License Exam Security agreement. This action was contrary to Procedure FP-T-SAT-71, NRC Exam Security Requirements, Section 4.2.10, which stated that individuals on the agreement cannot provide instruction or sign-offs for examinees. On October 9, 2012, the incident was documented as Action Request (A/R)01811403 and the NRC Chief Examiner was notified. The subsequent investigation revealed that no examination material compromise occurred for the following reasons:
- The RP supervisor had limited knowledge of the current NRC examination.
Specifically, the RP supervisor was consulted in regard to one JPM for its RP-related issues.
- The topics discussed during the end-of-card checkout, as documented in the examinees post-incident statement, were of a generic nature. Specifically, they consisted of items normally covered in general radiation worker training.
- The general radiation worker information discussed during the end-of-card checkout did not include any information required to successfully complete the JPM with RP-related issues.
In summary, the failure to comply with the examination security procedure was considered a minor violation of 10 CFR 55.49, "Integrity of Examinations and Tests,"
because it did not subsequently compromise the NRC examination material integrity.
4OA6 Meetings
.1 Debrief
The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on December 7, 2012, with Mr. R. Wright, Plant Manager, and other members of the Point Beach Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on December 17, 2012, with Mr. D. Lauterbur, Training Manager, by telephone. The NRCs final disposition of the stations written exam answer key was discussed with Mr. Lauterbur during the telephone discussion.
Finally, the examiners requested the licensee to identify any material used to develop or administer the examination that was considered proprietary. One JPM that was given as part of the SRO operating test was identified to contain company confidential information. Accordingly, that JPM and its associated references were withheld from public disclosure.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- R. Amundson, Operations Training Supervisor
- B. Beltz, Operations Manager
- R. Bretton, Training Supervisor
- A. Gustafson, Initial License Training Supervisor
- W. Hennessy, Licensing Supervisor
- C. Hill, Assistant Ops Manager - Training
- D. Lauterbur, Training Manager
- K. Locke, Engineering Analyst - Licensing
- P. Short, Assistant Ops Manager - Training
- R. Wright, Plant Manager
- A. Zommers, Operations Training Instructor
NRC
- C. Zoia, Chief Examiner
LIST OF ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened/Closed
None