IR 05000341/2023301
| ML23227A133 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 08/16/2023 |
| From: | April Nguyen NRC/RGN-III/DORS/OB |
| To: | Peter Dietrich DTE Electric Company |
| Bergeon B | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML22007A061 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-341/23-301 | |
| Download: ML23227A133 (1) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
FERMI POWER PLANT, UNIT 2 - NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000341/2023301
Dear Peter Dietrich:
On June 28, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at your Fermi Power Plant, Unit 2. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on June 23, 2023, with Mike Donigian, Program Supervisor - Simulator and NRC Exam Development and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on August 1, 2023, between Eric Olson, Site Vice President and Bryan Bergeon, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of June 19, 2023. The written examination was administered by Fermi Power Plant training department personnel on June 27, 2023. Two Senior Reactor Operator and two Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The license examiners determined that all four applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued. There were no post-examination comments submitted by your staff. The enclosure contains details of this report.
The administered written examination and operating test, as well as documents related to the development and review (outlines, review comments and resolution, etc.) of the examination will be withheld from public disclosure until June 28, 2025.
No findings were identified during this examination.
August 16, 2023 This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with 10 CFR, Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, April M. Nguyen, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-341 License No. NPF-43 Enclosure:
1. Examination Report 05000341/2023301 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via LISTSERV Justin Angel, Director - Nuclear Training, Fermi Power Plant Signed by Nguyen, April on 08/16/23
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Examination Report 05000341/2023301; 06/19/2023-06/28/2023; DTE Electric Company; Fermi
Power Plant, Unit 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination.
The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of two applicants for reactor operator licenses and two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses at Fermi Power Plant, Unit 2.
The licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the licensee on June 27, 2023. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on June 19 through June 21, 2023.
Examination Summary:
Four of four applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Two applicants were issued senior reactor operator licenses and two applicants were issued reactor operator licenses.
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 12, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. The written examination outlines were prepared by the NRC staff and were transmitted to the facility licensees staff. Members of the facility licensees staff developed the operating test outlines and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of May 15, 2023, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited two reactor operator and two senior reactor operator 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 and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of June 19, 2023, through June 21, 2023. The facility licensee administered the written examination on June 27, 2023.
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 2.3-5, Written Examination Review Worksheet. The Form 2.3-5, the written examination outlines (Form 4.1-BWR Boiling-Water Reactor Examination Outline and Form 4.1-COMMON Common Examination Outline), and both the proposed and final written examinations, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) on June 28, 2025, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML23200A241, ML23200A236, ML23200A194, ML23200A196, ML23200A200 and ML23200A203 respectively).
The NRC examiners graded the written examination on July 6, 2023, 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.
Less than 20 percent of the proposed operating test portion of the examination was determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.
Changes made to the operating test portion of the examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form 2.3-3, Operating Test Review Worksheet. The Form 2.3-3, the operating test outlines (Form 3.2-1 Administrative Topics Outline, Form 3.2-2 Control Room and In-Plant Systems Outline, and Form 3.3-1 Scenario Outlines),and both the proposed and final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS on June 28, 2025, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML23200A240, ML23200A231, ML23200A233, ML23200A234, ML23200A192, ML23200A193, ML23200A195, ML23200A199, ML23200A202, ML23200A198 and ML23200A201 respectively).
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on July 25, 2023.
- (3) Examination Results Two applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and two applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Four applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on July 26, 2023.
The examination team noted two generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the administrative JPM section of the operating tests. The applicants displayed weaknesses in completing event notification forms and determining reportability for an injured, contaminated worker. The examination team noted two generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the dynamic scenario section of the operating tests. The applicants displayed weaknesses in using procedures to respond to an ATWS and responding to a CRD pump trip due to a loss of suction pressure. Post-examination analysis released one general weakness with applicant performance on the written examination, related to the effect of maintenance activities on the status of limiting conditions for operation. These deficiencies were captured in the licensees corrective action program as CARDs 2023-31061, 2023-31077, 2023-31078, and 2023-31081 and training requests 2023-0042, 2023-0045 and 2023-0052. Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility training manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training.
.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 Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 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
No findings were identified.
4OA6 Meetings
.1 Debrief
The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on June 23, 2023, with Justin Angel, Director - Nuclear Training and other members of the Fermi Power Plant Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on August 1, 2023, with Eric Olson, Site Vice President by telephone. The NRCs final disposition of the stations grading of the written examination and post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed during the telephone discussion. The chief examiner asked the licensee whether any of the retained submitted material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. Proprietary or sensitive information identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings will be handled in accordance with the applicable requirements.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- E. Olson, Site Vice President
- J. Angel, Training Director
- E. Frank, Licensing Manager
- S. Gatter, Licensing Compliance Supervisor
- M. Donigian, Training Supervisor
- S. Schmus, Exam Author
- B. Skandalaris, Exam Author
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- T. Taylor, Senior Resident Inspector
- A. Nguyen, Branch Chief
- B. Bergeon, Chief Examiner
- G. Roach, Examiner
- L. Rodriguez, Examiner
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None
LIST OF ACRONYMS USED
Agencywide Document Access and Management System
Anticipated Transient Without Scram
Control Rod Drive
Digital Control System
NRC
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Simulator Work Request
SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT
Facility Licensee:
Fermi Power Plant
Facility Docket No:
50-341
Operating Tests Administered:
June 19 through June 21, 2023
The following documents observations made by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
examination team during the initial operator license examination. These observations do not
constitute audit or inspection findings and are not, without further verification and review,
indicative of non-compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 55.45(b).
These observations do not affect U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission certification or approval
of the simulation facility other than to provide information which may be used in future
evaluations. No licensee action is required in response to these observations.
During the conduct of the simulator portion of the operating tests, the following items were
observed:
ITEM
DESCRIPTION
1. SWR 6811
1.
During a simulator scenario, the feedwater/reactor recirculation
system digital control system (DCS) connection to the simulator
was lost. The simulator server displayed a message that the
communication link to DCS had been aborted. This unexpected
malfunction prevented applicants of one crew from performing all
expected verifiable actions while responding to a planned
malfunction. The scenario was able to be completed with no
additional adverse effects due to the uncompleted actions.