IR 05000272/2008301

IR 05000272-08-301, 05000311-08-301, on 08/25/08 - 09/04/08; Salem, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML082980405
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	10/24/2008
From:	Hansell S Operations Branch I
To:	Joyce T Public Service Enterprise Group
Shared Package
ML0800300005	List: IR 05000272/2008301
References
IR-08-301
Download: ML082980405 (10)

Text

ber 24, 2008

SUBJECT:

SALEM UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC INITIAL EXAMINATION REPORT 05000272/2008301; 05000311/2008301

Dear Mr. Joyce:

On September 4, 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Salem Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on October 3, 2008, with Messrs. Michael Staubmuller, John Garrett, Russell Gumbert, Glenn Marshall, and Gerald Gauding.

The examination included the evaluation of two applicants for reactor operator licenses and four applicants for instant senior operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The license examiners determined that six of the six applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

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/

Samuel L. Hansell, Jr., Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-272; 50-311 License Nos. DPR-70; DPR-75 Enclosure: NRC Examination Report 05000272/2008301; 05000311/2008301

Mr. Thomas

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000272/2008301; 05000311/2008301; August 25 - September 4, 2008; Salem Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, and four applicants for instant senior operator licenses at Salem Units 1 and 2. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The written examination was administered by the facility on September 4, 2008. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on August 25-28, 2008. The license examiners determined that six of the six 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

4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all six license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, Personal Qualification Statement, and NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee. The examiners also audited three 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 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On September 4, 2008, 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 final analysis to the NRC on September 16, 2008.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all six applicants on August 25-28, 2008. The two applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of eleven system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The four applicants seeking an instant senior operator license participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findings

All six of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. All six applicants passed the written exam. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 82.7% percent and ranged from 80.0% to 85.3% percent, the senior operator applicants average score was 86.3% percent and ranged from 88.0% to 88.0% percent.

The overall written examination average was 85.1% percent. The text of the examination questions, the licensees examination analysis, and the licensees post-examination comments may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.

Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG 1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis for eleven questions that met this criterion and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. This analysis concluded that one of the questions, RO Exam question #43, required accepting two answers.

The licensees recommendations and the NRC responses follow:

Reactor Operator Question #43 The licensee recommended accepting two answers for this question. The question involved determination of the indications that were NOT available on the Hot Shutdown Panel. The licensee stated:

When the question was reviewed, it was noted that PRT pressure, choice A is also NOT available at the Hot Shutdown Panel, and is a correct choice along with the answer key identified choice C.

There are two possible causes for this to have been missed during the exam review and validation. The first is that it was somehow overlooked by the exam author, reviewers and validators. The second is that it may have been inadvertently changed from PZR pressure to PRT pressure during a spell check in the Access Database where the exam was constructed. PZR pressure IS available at the Hot Shutdown Panel.

NRC Response: The NRC agrees with the licensee's recommendation to accept two answers to RO question #43. The chief examiner verified that PRT pressure is not available on the Hot Shutdown Panel by reviewing Engineering Drawing 217149 Rev 23. The Chief Examiner reviewed the original submittal of this question and noted that distracter A had originally been submitted as PZR pressure. The change in this distracter was not requested by the NRC and the change was made without notifying the NRC. This validates the licensees second plausible explanations of how the change could have been made and not identified during exam review.

.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on May 12, 2008. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on July 2, 2008. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1, and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on July 19, 2008. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of July 26, 2008. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on August 20, 2008 for the Operating Test and August 28, 2008 for the Written Exam.

b. Findings

The NRC 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.

.4 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.

.5 Examination Security

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021 requirements. 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 examination results to Messrs. Michael Strubmuller, Operating Training Manager, John Garrett, and other members of the licensee's management staff on October 4, 2008. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

4OA7 Licensee-Identified Violations

No findings of significance were identified.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

Marios Kafantaris, Director of Training

Michael Strubmuller, Operations Training Manager

Gerald Gauding, Examination Author and Senior Instructor

John Garrett, Operations Manager

Glenn Marshall, Initial License Training Supervisor

NRC Personnel

Daniel Schroeder, Senior Resident Inspector

Harry Balian, Resident Inspector

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

NONE

Opened and Closed

NONE

Closed

NONE

Discussed

NONE