IR 05000354/2012301

Er 05000354-12-301; March 5-14, 2012; Hope Creek Generating Station, Unit 1; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML12109A102
Person / Time
Site:	Hope Creek
Issue date:	04/18/2012
From:	Diane Jackson Division of Nuclear Materials Safety I
To:	Joyce T Public Service Enterprise Group
Shared Package
ML113070699	List: IR 05000354/2012301 ML12061A285 ML12083A212 ML12083A223 ML12083A235 ML12083A242 ML12111A179 ML12111A188 ML12111A190 ML12111A200 ML12111A202 ML12172A046
References
50-354/12-301
Download: ML12109A102 (10)

Text

UNITED STATES pril 18, 2012

SUBJECT:

HOPE CREEK GENERATING STATION, UNIT 1 - lNlTlAL OPERATOR LI CEN SI NG EXAM I NATI ON RE PORT O5OOO3 5412012301

Dear Mr. Joyce:

On March 14,2012, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Hope Creek. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on April 4,2012, with Mr. E. Parker, Hope Creek Training Manager, and other members of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior operator license. 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 all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on April 4,2012. Two RO applicants will not be issued licenses until they have acquired all of the training and experience for which they were previously granted a waiver.

No findings were identified during this examination.

ln 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 Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

Enclosure:

NRC fnitial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000354/2012301 dAttachment

Mr. Thomas President and Chief Nuclear Officer PSEG Nuclear LLC P. O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 SUBJECT: HOPE CREEK GENEMTING STATION, UNIT 1 - lNlTlAL OPERATOR LI CENS NG EXAM NATION REPORT O5OOO3 541201 2301 I I

Dear Mr. Joyce:

On March 14,2012, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Hope Creek. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on April 4,2012, with Mr. E. Parker, Hope Creek Training Manager, and other members of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior operator license. 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 all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on April 4, 2012. Two RO applicants will not be issued licenses until they have acquired all of the training and experience for which they were previously granted a waiver.

No findings were identified during this examination.

In a

REGION I==

Docket: 50-354 Licenses: NPF- 57 Report: 0500035412012301 Licensee: PSEG Nuclear LLC Facility: Hope Creek Generating Station, Unit 1 Location: P. O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 Dates: March 5-9,2012 (Operating Test Administration)

March 14, 2012 (Written Examination Administration)

March 19,2012 (Facility Submitted Post Exam Package)

March 9-19,2012 (NRC Examination Grading)

April 4, 2012 (Licenses lssued)

Examiners: T. Fish, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch T. Hedigan, Operations Engineer J. Tomlinson, Operations Engineer B. Fuller, Operations Engineer Approved By: Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 0500035412012301; March 5-14,2012; Hope Creek Generating Station, Unit 1; lnitial

Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior operator license at the Hope Creek facility. 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 March 14,2012.

NRC examiners administered the operating tests March 5-9,2012. The license examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

Reactor Safety No findings were identified.

REPORT DETAILS

4. oTHER ACTTVTTTES (OA)

40A5 Other Activities (lnitial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Examination Scope

The chief examiner reviewed all eleven 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 chief examiner also audited five of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicant's qualifications, This audit focused on each applicant's experience and on{he-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

b. Findinqs No findings were identified.

.2 Operator Knowledqe and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On March 14,2012, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all eleven applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on March 19,2012.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all applicants March 5-9,2012. The applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two or 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 applicants seeking an instant senior operator license participated in two or 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. The applicant for an upgrade senior operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findinqs All applicants passed all parts of the operating test. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants' average score was 85.9 percent and ranged from 82.67 to 88.0 percent; the senior operator applicants' average score was 88 percent and ranged from 86 to 93 percent. The overallwritten examination average was 87.0 percent. The examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in Attachment 1. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this written examination in ADAMS to the public will be delayed for two years.

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 four questions that met this criterion and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. The chief examiner determined the questions were valid as written.

.3 Initial Licensino 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 was listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on December 21,2011. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on January 19,2012. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1 021, and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on February 3,2012. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of February 5,2Q12. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on February 24,2012.

b. Findinqs 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 initiatty submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings were identified.

.4 Simulation Facilitv Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findinqs No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Securitv

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. Findinqs No findings were identified, 4OAO Meetinos. includinq Exit The chief examiner presented the examination results to Mr. E. Parker, Hope Creek Training Manager, and other members of the licensee's management staff on April 4, 2012. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

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

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

E. Parker, Training Manager

R. Boesch, Operations Training Manager

T. Catalano, Exam Developer

A. Faulkner, Exam Developer

S. Dennis, Exam Developer

NRC Personnel

D. Jackson, Chief, Operator Licensing Branch

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

NONE