IR 05000333/2003301

IR 05000333-03-301, 07/21/03 Through 07/ 21/03 and 07/28-08/14/2003, for James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML032520016
Person / Time
Site:	FitzPatrick
Issue date:	09/09/2003
From:	Conte R NRC/RGN-I/DRS/OSB
To:	Ted Sullivan Entergy Nuclear Northeast
Shared Package
ML023310183	List: IR 05000333/2003301 ML023460088
References
50-333/03-301
Download: ML032520016 (12)

Text

ber 9, 2003

SUBJECT:

JAMES A. FITZPATRICK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT REACTOR AND SENIOR REACTOR OPERATOR INITIAL EXAMINATION REPORT NO. 05000333/2003-301

Dear Mr. Sullivan:

This report transmits the results of the Reactor Operator (RO) and Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) licensing examinations conducted by the NRC during the period of July 21-25, 2003.

This examination addressed areas important to public health and safety and was developed and administered using the guidelines of the Examination Standards for Power Reactors (NUREG-1021, DRAFT Revision 9).

Based on the results of the examination, all six applicants (2 ROs and 4 SROs) passed all portions of the examination. Examination results indicated that the applicants were well prepared for the examination. On August 15, 2003, final examination results, including individual license numbers, were given to the facility during a telephone call between Mr. R. Conte and Mr. P. Berry and others of your staff.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 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). These records include the final examination and are available in ADAMS (RO and SRO Written- Accession Number ML032390332; RO and SRO Operating Section A- Accession Number ML032390343; RO and SRO Operating Section B- Accession Number ML032390350; and RO and SRO Operating Section C- Accession Number ML032390358). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ADAMS.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Mr. Theodore Sullivan 2 Should you have any questions regarding this examination, please contact me at (610) 337-5183, or by E-mail at RJC@NRC.GOV.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Richard J. Conte, Chief Operational Safety Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-333 License No. DPR-59

Enclosure:

Initial Examination Report No. 05000333/2003301 with Attachments

REGION I==

Docket No: 05000333 License No: DPR-59 Report No: 05000333/2003301 Licensee: Entergy Nuclear Northeast Facility: James A. Fitzpatrick NPP Dates: July 22-25, 2003 (Operating Test Administration)

July 21, 2003 (Written Examination Administration)

July 28 - August 14, 2003 (Examination Grading)

Examiners: H. Williams, Senior Operations Engineer (Chief Examiner)

A. Blamey, Senior Operations Engineer J. DAntonio, Operations Engineer D. Jackson, Operations Engineer (Observer)

Approved by: Richard J. Conte, Chief Operational Safety Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS IR 05000333/2003-301; July 21- 25, 2003; James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

Cornerstone: Mitigating Systems Four of four SRO and two of two RO applicants passed all portions of the examinations.

The written examinations were administered by the facility and the operating tests were administered by three NRC examiners. There were no inspection findings of significance associated with the examinations.

ii Enclosure

Report Details 1. REACTOR SAFETY Mitigating Systems - Reactor Operator (RO) and Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) Initial License Examinations a. Scope of Review The Fitzpatrick examination team developed the written and operating initial examinations and together with NRC personnel, verified or ensured, as applicable, the following:

• The examination was prepared and developed in accordance with the guidelines of DRAFT Revision 9, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors and it met the overall quality goals (range of acceptability) of these standards. The review was conducted both in the Region I office and at the Fitzpatrick power plant and training facility. Final resolution of comments and incorporation of test revisions was conducted during and following the onsite preparation week.

• Simulation facility operation was proper.

• Facility licensee completed a test item analysis on the written examination for feedback into the systems approach to training program.

• Examination security requirements were met.

The NRC examiners administered the operating portion of the examination to all applicants from July 22 - 25, 2003. Fitzpatrick training staff administered the written examination on July 21, 2003.

b. Findings Grading and Results All six applicants (2 ROs and 4 instant SROs) passed all portions of the initial licensing examination.

Examination Preparation and Quality The exam met the quality tolerances of the examiners standards. The licensee submitted three post-examination comments for the written exam. All three comments were accepted by the NRC. A summary of facility comments on the written exam and NRC resolution is attached to this report.

Enclosure

Examination Administration and Performance NRC examiners did not observe any generic performance errors by the applicants during examination administration.

4. OTHER ACTIVITIES 4OA6 Meetings, including Exit The examination period was from July 21 to July 25, 2003. The license submitted comments for the written test between August 4 and 7, 2003 and grading was completed within 7 calendar days, August 14, 2003.

On August 15, 2003, the NRC provided observations and examination results to Fitzpatrick training and operations personnel, via telephone. License numbers for the applicants were provided during this call. The NRC expressed appreciation for the cooperation and assistance the licensees training staff provided during the preparation and administration of the examination.

Enclosure

ATTACHMENT 1 KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Patrick Berry Training Manager Steve Reininghaus Operations Training Supervisor Richard DeVercelly Operations Training Instructor LIST OF ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED None.

Attachment

ATTACHMENT 2 FACILITY COMMENTS ON WRITTEN EXAM ADAMS Document Accession No.: ML032450535 Attachment

ATTACHMENT 3 NRC RESOLUTION OF FACILITY COMMENTS RO 12/SRO 13 Refer to Attachment 2 for details of the question and basis for facility recommendation.

Comment accepted. The facility noted that the generator field breakers would also trip as a result of the respective drive motor breaker trip. The facility referenced a note in OP-27, Recirculation System which states that the generator field breaker will open approximately 17 seconds after the drive motor breaker trips. The note referenced applied to mode 3 (hot shutdown) and mode 4 (cold shutdown). However, the procedure contains the same note for power operation and testing the drive motor trips.

The question as written failed to recognize that the generator field breakers would also trip as a result of the drive motor breaker trip. Therefore, both A and B are correct answers.

RO 23/SRO 26 Refer to Attachment 2 for details of the question and basis for facility recommendations.

Comment accepted. Distractor B indicated that a rise in bus frequency supplying the recirculation motor generator set had occurred. This rise in frequency will result in a new higher recirculation pump speed and ultimately a new higher reactor power.

Originally there was a control feature (speed feedback loop) which would have returned the generator to the previously selected speed demand, thus returning reactor power to the previous value. However, a plant modification removed the speed feedback loop to address a speed oscillation issue. Therefore B is a correct answer also and both B and D are correct answers.

RO 35/SRO 47 Refer to Attachment 2 for details of the question and basis for facility recommendation.

The question asks how the operator can verify control rod position. Loss of the UPS power supply de-energizes RPIS and results in a loss of all control rod position indication. The question has no correct answer in spite of the misleading stem information and the lack of proctor guidance. With UPS de-energized, control rod position can not be determined and there is no correct answer. Delete the question.

Attachment

Attachment 4 Simulator Facility Report Facility Licensee: James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant Facility Docket No. 50-333 Operating Tests Administered on: July 22-25, 2003 This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings and, without further verification and review, are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR55.45(b). These observations do not affect NRC certification or approval of the simulation facility other than to provide information that may be used in future evaluations. No licensee action is required in response to these observations.

While conducting the simulator portion of the operating test, examiners observed the following item:

ITEM DESCRIPTION No items observed.

Attachment