IR 05000321/2023301
| ML24017A106 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hatch  |
| Issue date: | 01/17/2024 |
| From: | Matthew Endress Division of Reactor Safety II |
| To: | Busch M Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| References | |
| 50-321/23-301, 50-366/23-301 50-321/OL-23, 50-366/OL-23 | |
| Download: ML24017A106 (13) | |
Text
January 17, 2024
Mr. Matthew Busch Site Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, In Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant 11028 Hatch Parkway North Baxley, GA 31513
SUBJECT: EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000321/2023301 AND 05000366/2023301
Mr. Busch:
During the period November 27 - 30, 2023, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Edwin Hatch Nuclear Plan At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating tests and the written examination submittal with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed repor The written examination was administered by your staff on December 6, 202 All applicants passed both the operating test and written examinatio There were two post-examination comment A Simulator Fidelity Report is included in this report as Enclosure The initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examinatio All examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and your staff were made according to NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 1 In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of the NRCs document system (ADAMS).
ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 997-471
Sincerely,
/RA/
Matthew Endress, Chief
Operations Branch 2
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos: 50-321, 50-366 License Nos: DPR-57, NPF-5
Enclosures:
1. Report Details 2. Facility Comments and NRC Resolution 3. Simulator Fidelity Report
REGION II==
Examination Report
Docket No.:
05000321, 05000366
License No.:
Report No.:
05000321/2023301, 05000366/2023301
Enterprise Identifier: L-2023-OLL-0025
Licensee:
Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC)
Facility:
Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2
Location:
Baxley, GA
Dates:
Operating Test - November 27-10, 2023
Written Examination - December 6, 2023
Examiners:
David Lanyi, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer
Mark Bates, Senior Operations Engineer Jason Bundy, Senior Operations Engineer
Bruno Caballero, Senior Operations Engineer
Michael Donithan, Senior Operations Engineer
Approved by:
Matthew Endress, Branch Chief, Operations Branch 2, RII
SUMMARY
ER 05000321/2023301, 05000366/2023301; operating test November 27-30, 2023 & written exam December 6, 2023; Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant; Operator License Examination Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in accordance with the guidelines in Revision 12, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicabl The NRC developed the written examination outlin Members of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant staff developed both the operating tests and the written examinatio The initial operating test, written RO examination, and written SRO examination submittals met the quality guidelines contained in NUREG-102 The NRC administered the operating tests during the period November 27-30, 202 Members of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on December 6, 202 All applicants passed both the operating test and written examinatio All applicants were issued licenses commensurate with the level of examination administere There were two post-examination comment No findings were identifie REPORT DETAILS OTHER ACTIVITIES
4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations Inspection Scope
The NRC evaluated the submitted operating test by combining the scenario events and JPMs in order to determine the percentage of submitted test items that required replacement or significant modificatio The NRC also evaluated the submitted written examination questions (RO and SRO questions considered separately) in order to determine the percentage of submitted questions that required replacement or significant modification, or that clearly did not conform with the intent of the approved knowledge and ability (K/A) statemen Any questions that were deleted during the grading process, or for which the answer key had to be changed, were also included in the count of unacceptable question The percentage of submitted test items that were unacceptable was compared to the acceptance criteria of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Standards for Power Reactor The NRC reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR §55.49, Integrity of examinations and test The NRC performed an audit of license applications during the preparatory site visit to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications in accordance with NUREG-102 The NRC administered the operating tests during the period November 27-30, 202 The NRC examiners evaluated four Reactor Operator (RO) and six Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-102 Members of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on December 6, 202 Evaluations of applicants and reviews of associated documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licenses to operate the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55, Operators License The NRC evaluated the performance or fidelity of the simulation facility during the preparation and conduct of the operating test Findings
No findings were identifie The NRC developed the written examination sample plan outlin Members of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant training staff developed both the operating tests and the written examinatio All examination material was developed in accordance with the guidelines contained in Revision 12, of NUREG-102 The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examinatio Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination material The NRC determined, using NUREG-1021, that the licensees initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examinatio All applicants passed both the operating test and written examination and were issued license Four RO applicants and six SRO applicants passed both the operating test and written examinatio Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial trainin The licensee submitted two post-examination comments concerning the operating exa A copy of the final written examination and answer key, with all changes incorporated, and the licensees post examination comments may be accessed not earlier than December 8, 2025, in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML24005A114, ML245005A106, ML24005A114, and ML24005A116).
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
Exit Meeting Summary
On November 30, 2023, the NRC examination team discussed generic issues associated with the operating test with Andy Belcher, Training Director, and members of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant staf The examiners asked the licensee if any of the examination material was proprietar No proprietary information was identifie Enclosure 2 KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee personnel
Andy Belcher, Training Director Mark Walter, Operations Training Manager Derek Williams, Nuclear Plant Operations Instructor Charlie Edmunds, Exam Writer
NRC personnel
Richard Easter, Resident Inspector
Enclosure 2
Enclosure 2 Item 1
JPM c (Hatch JPM 2023-301 CR/SIM 3) Emergency Depress the Reactor Using Main Steam Line Drains K/A 295025EA1.01
Comment from Applicant:
Step 3 of the JPM corresponds to step 3.7.2 of 31EO-EOP-108-2, ALTERNATE RPV DEPRESSURIZATIO. IF vacuum of at least 10 in. Hg vacuum CANNOT be drawn on Main Condenser, (Monitor LP Hoods, 2N32-K4001A OR 2N32-K4001B)
OR SPDS THEN ensure open Main Condenser Vacuum Breaker Valves, AND
Start all available Turbine Building HVAC per 34SO-U41-001-2, Turbine Building Ventilation System
This step provides equipment protection to the Main Condenser by breaking condenser vacuum and does not impact the operators ability to lower reactor pressure with the Main Steam Line Drains. In addition, this step is redundant to the two rupture diaphragms on the turbine exhaus See excerpt from the Hatch FSAR (HNP-2-FSAR-10 10.4.1.2 Main Condenser System Description):
Should the control, bypass, or turbine stop valves fail to close on loss of condenser vacuum, two rupture diaphragms on each turbine exhaust to the condenser to protect the condenser and turbine exhaust hoods against overpressur The operator can still perform an Alternate RPV Depressurization using the Main Steam Line Drains without breaking condenser vacuum; therefore, this step should be categorized as NONCRITICA Facility Licensee Recommendation:
Change step 3 of JPM c (Hatch JPM 2023-301 CR/SIM 3) from a CRITICAL step and update remainder of JPM to reflect this chang NRC Response:
The NRC agrees with the licensees commen The changes have been incorporated into the answer ke The Task Standard for this JPM states:
The task shall be completed when the Main Steam Line Drains have been manually lined up to emergency depress the Reactor per 31EO-EOP-108-2 with an increase in the rate of RPV pressure reductio NUREG-1021, ES-3.2 Section D.1.c defines a critical step as the task steps that the applicant must perform correctly (i.e., accurately, in the proper sequence, and at the proper
Enclosure 2 time) to accomplish the task standar If an applicant failed to perform or performed the step that was questioned incorrectly, the task standard would still be able to be complete Therefore, it should not have been identified as a critical ste Item 2
JPM g (Hatch JPM 2023-301 CR/SIM 7) Respond to the Trip of a Reactor Recirc Pump While the Recirc Pumps are Running Less than 35% Speed, and Plot Plant Operation on the Power/Flow Map. Alt Path K/A 216000A2.14
Comment from Applicant:
JPM g (Hatch JPM 2023-301 CR/SIM 7) is modified from a bank JPM that was used on the 2011-301 NRC exam as JPM SIM 7. The 2011 version was a NORMAL JPM and modified to be an ALTERNATE path for the 2023-301 exam. On the 2011-301 exam, the step for plotting on the Power/Flow map was NOT critica When updating the JPM to its current version, Step 2 of the JPM was inadvertently changed to a critical step. While this step does allow for evaluating the applicants ability to plot on the Power/Flow map, it is NOT CRITICAL to the response of a tripped Recirc pump in limiting Recirc Loop temperatures and, due to plant conditions, there are no resultant required operator actions from the plot. A Power/Flow plot is also NOT CRITICAL to responding to the trip of the second Recirc Pump (ALT path), which requires the applicant to TRIP the reacto There is a prompt in the JPM for the examiner to direct the applicant to continue to respond to the tripped Recirc pump even if the plot places the reactor in the Safety Limit area of the Power/Flow map. (see below) If this action was truly CRITICAL, the applicant would have been allowed to continue with the appropriate actions based on the plo Facility Licensee Recommendation:
Change step 2 of JPM g (Hatch 2023-301 JPM CR/SIM 7) from a CRITICAL step to a NON-CRITICAL step and update remainder of JPM to reflect this chang NRC Response:
The NRC does not agree with the licensees commen The Task Standard for this JPM states:
Respond to the trip of a Reactor Recirc pump while the Recirc pumps are running at less than 35% speed, and plot plant operation on the Power/Flow map. (alt path)
NUREG-1021, ES-3.2 Section D.1.c defines a critical step as the task steps that the applicant must perform correctly (i.e., accurately, in the proper sequence, and at the proper
Enclosure 2 time) to accomplish the task standar Correctly completing the Power/Flow map is directly stated as part of the Task Standar K/A 295001AA2.01 rates the ability to determine and/or interpret the power/flow map as it applies to Partial or Complete Loss of Forced Core Flow Circulation at a 4.4 for ROs and 4.3 for SRO This task is therefore considered important to perform accuratel Therefore, since the original JPM was approved with the task standard stating the applicant needed to perform the task, and the task was an appropriate critical task, and the task does have a high importance factor, the task standard should not be change Enclosure 3
SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT
Facility Licensee: Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant
Facility Docket No.: 05000321, 05000366
Operating Test Administered: November 27-30, 2023
This form is to be used only to report observation These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with Inspection Procedure 71111.11 are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.4 No licensee action is required in response to these observation No simulator fidelity or configuration issues were identified.