IR 05000305/2009301

Er 05000305-09-301 (Drs), 04/13/2009 - 05/06/2009 for Dominion Energy Kewaunee, Inc.; Kewaunee Power Station

ML091600290
Person / Time
Site:	Kewaunee
Issue date:	06/08/2009
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Christian D Dominion Energy Kewaunee
References
ER-09-301
Download: ML091600290 (10)

Text

une 8, 2009

SUBJECT:

KEWAUNEE POWER STATION, UNIT 1 NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000305/2009301(DRS)

Dear Mr. Christian:

On May 6, 2009, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners completed initial operator licensing examination process at your Kewaunee Power Station. The enclosed report documents the results of the examination which were discussed on April 23, 2009, with Mr. M. Crist and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on May 6, 2009, between Mr. T. Evans of your staff and Mr. D. McNeil of NRC Region III Operator Licensing, to review the resolution of the station=s post examination comments and the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants.

The NRC examiners administered initial license examination operating tests during the weeks of April 13 and April 20, 2009. The written examination was administered by Kewaunee Power Station training department personnel on April 23, 2009. Seven Senior Reactor Operator and five Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. None of the Senior Reactor Operator applicants were previously licensed Reactor Operators at the Kewaunee Power Station. The results of the examinations were finalized on May 26, 2009. One Reactor Operator applicant failed the written examination and one Senior Reactor Operator failed the Administrative Job Performance Measure (JPM) portion of the operating test. Both of these operators were issued proposed license denials. One Reactor Operator applicant had a written examination score of 80 percent. His license will be withheld pending the results of any written examination appeal and possible answer changes associated with that appeal. If his score on the written examination remains greater than or equal to 80 percent after any appeal is concluded, he will be issued a Reactor Operator license. The remainder of the applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of six Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator licenses.

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 NRC's document system (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.

Sincerely,

/RA by B. Palagi for/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-305 License No. DPR-43

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000305/2009301(DRS)

2. Simulation Facility Report 3. Written Examinations and Answer Keys (RO/SRO)

REGION III==

Docket No: 50-305 License No: DPR-43 Report No: 05000305/2009301(DRS)

Licensee: Dominion Energy Kewaunee, Inc.

Facility: Kewaunee Power Station Location: Kewaunee, WI Dates: April 13 through May 6, 2009 Inspectors: D. McNeil, Chief Examiner D. Reeser, Examiner C. Moore, Examiner Approved by: Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000305/2009301(DRS); 04/13/2009 - 05/06/2009; Dominion Energy Kewaunee, Inc.;

Kewaunee Power Station; Initial License Examination Report.

The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional NRC examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1.

Examination Summary:

$ Twelve examinations were administered (seven senior reactor operator and five reactor operator).

$ One Reactor Operator applicant failed the written examination and one Senior Reactor Operator failed the Administrative JPM portion of the operating test. Both operators were issued proposed license denial letters. One Reactor Operator applicant had a score of 80 percent on his written examination. His license was withheld pending the outcome of any appeal on the written examination. Six Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator licenses were issued to the remainder of the applicants.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

Kewaunee Power Station trainers prepared the examination outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of March 23, 2009, at the Kewaunee Power Station simulator building with the assistance of members of the licensee training staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy.

The NRC examiners conducted the operating portion of the initial license examination during the weeks of April 13 and April 20, 2009. The NRC Chief Examiner and members of the Kewaunee Power Station training department staff administered the written examination on April 23, 2009. The NRC examiners used the guidance established in NUREG-1021, AOperator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,@

Revision 9, Supplement 1, to prepare, validate, revise, administer, and grade the examination.

b. Findings

Written Examination During the validation of the written examination several questions were modified or replaced. Changes made to the written examination were documented on Form ES-401-9, AWritten Examination Review Worksheet@ which is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). The submitted written examination met the NRCs expectations for an initial license written examination. Kewaunee Power Station advised the NRC Region III by letter dated May 6, 2009 (Serial 09-303), that there were no post-examination comments for the written examination. The NRC examiners graded the written examination on May 8, 2009, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

Operating Test During the validation of the operating test, information was added or modified for some Job Performance Measures (JPMs) and minor changes were made to the dynamic simulator scenarios. The chief examiner asked that one administrative JPM be replaced to ensure an accurate critical task was included in the JPM. Changes made to the operating test were documented in a document titled, AOperating Test Comments,@

which is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). The submitted operating test met the NRCs expectations for an initial license operating test. The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on May 26, 2009.

Examination Results Seven applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and five applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written and operating tests. None of the applicants were previously licensed at Kewaunee Power Station. One of the Senior Reactor Operator applicants missed three administrative JPMs which constitutes a failure of that portion of the examination. One Reactor Operator applicant received a written examination grade that was less than 80 percent, which constitutes a failure of the written examination. The two applicants were issued proposed license denials.

One Reactor Operator applicant received a score of 80 percent on the written examination. His license was withheld pending any appeal that may occur on the written examination. If no appeal occurs or the appeal does not result in reducing the applicants score below 80 percent, an operating license will be issued to that operator.

The remaining applicants, (six Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator)passed all portions of their license examinations and were issued applicable operator licenses.

.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, AIntegrity 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 licensee=s examination security activities.

b. Findings

No Findings

4OA6 Meetings

Debrief The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on April 23, 2009, to M. Crist, and other members of the Kewaunee Power Station staff.

Exit Meeting The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting by telephone on May 6, 2009, with Mr. T. Evans, Kewaunee Power Station Training Manager. The NRC=s preliminary written examination results were provided to Mr. Evans during the telephone discussion.

The examiners asked the licensee whether any of the material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

M. Crist, Plant Manager/Acting Site Vice President

D. Allen, Supervisor Nuclear Training - Operations

D. Emery, Training Supervisor

T. Evans, Training Manager

A. Fahrenkrug, Examination Author

S. Johnson, Examination Author

D. Laurence, Operations Manager

M. Wilson, Director, Safety & Licensing

NRC

D. McNeil, Chief Examiner

S. Burton, Senior Resident Inspector

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None