IR 05000373/2008301

Er 05000373-08-301(DRS), 05000374-08-301(DRS), on 08/18/08 - 08/29/08, Exelon Generation Company, LLC, LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2, Initial License Examination Report

ML082840681
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle
Issue date:	10/07/2008
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Pardee C Exelon Generation Co
References
ER-08-301
Download: ML082840681 (14)

Text

ber 7, 2008

SUBJECT:

LASALLE COUNTY STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000373/2008301(DRS);

05000374/2008301(DRS)

Dear Mr. Pardee:

On August 29, 2008, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners completed the initial operator licensing examination process for an examination administered at your LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the results of the examination which were discussed during a debrief on August 26, 2008, with Mr. D. Rhoades, and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on September 10, 2008, between Mr. J. White, Training Manager, of your staff and Mr. B. Palagi, NRC Chief Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the examination for the license applicants. During the telephone conversation the NRC review of post examination comments received by the NRC on August 29, 2008, were discussed.

The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of August 18, 2008. The written examination was administered by LaSalle training department personnel on August 25, 2008. Five (5) Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and four (4) Reactor Operator (RO) applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examination were finalized on September 24, 2008. All nine (9) applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and were issued applicable operator licenses. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "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 System (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-373; 50-374 License No. NPF-11; NPF-18

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000373/2008301(DRS); 05000374/2008301(DRS)

2. Simulation Facility Report 3. Written Examinations and Answer Keys (RO and SRO)

REGION III==

Docket No. 50-373; 50-374 License No. NPF-11; NPF-18 Report No: 05000373/2008301(DRS); 05000374/2008301(DRS);

Licensee: Exelon Generation Company, LLC Facility: LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2 Location: Marseilles, Illinois Dates: August 18 - 29, 2008 Examiners: B. Palagi, Chief Examiner C. Phillips, Examiner R. Walton, Examiner Approved by: Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000373/2008301(DRS); 05000374/2008301(DRS); 08/18/08 - 08/29/08;

Exelon Generation Company, LLC, LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial License Examination Report.

The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional Nuclear Regulatory Commission examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9 Supplement 1.

$ Nine license examinations were administered (four reactor operators and five senior reactor operators).

$ All applicants passed all sections of their examinations, resulting in the issuance of four reactor operator and five senior reactor operator licenses.

.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The NRC examiners conducted an announced operator licensing initial examination during the week of August 18, 2008. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9 Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of July 21, 2008, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. The NRC examiners administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of August 18, 2008. The facility licensee administered the written examination on August 25, 2008.

b. Findings

Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as originally submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

All changes made to the submitted examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet. The licensee submitted post-examination comments by letter dated August 29, 2008.

Neither the facility licensee nor any of the candidates requested a change to the as administered examination. The recommendations were from applicants who suggested that three of the written questions be reformatted.

Operating Test The NRC examiners developed the Operating Test. Operating Test changes agreed upon between the NRC and licensee were made according to NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors. The licensee submitted one post examination comment by letter dated August 29, 2008. Neither the facility licensee nor any of the candidates requested a change to the as administered examination.

The recommendation was from an applicant who suggested that the initiation cue for one of the Job Performance Measures be changed to add clarity.

Examination Results Nine applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of five senior reactor operator and four reactor operator licenses.

.2 Examination Security

a. Inspection Scope

The NRC examiners briefed the facility contact on the NRCs requirements and guidelines related to examination physical security (e.g., access restrictions and simulator considerations) and integrity in accordance with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests, and NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standard for Power Reactors. The examiners reviewed and observed the licensees implementation and controls of examination security and integrity measures (e.g.,

security agreements) throughout the examination process.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings

Exit Meeting The chief examiner presented the examination teams preliminary observations and findings with Mr. D. Rhoades and other members of the licensee management and staff on August 26, 2008. An exit via teleconference was held on September 10, 2008, with Mr. J. White of the licensee staff following receipt of the site post-examination comments. The inspectors stated that they had reviewed proprietary information during the preparation and administration of the examination, but that the proprietary information would not be included in the examination report. The licensee acknowledged the observations provided.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Enclosure 1

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

D. Rhoades, LaSalle Plant Manager

J. White, Training Director

L. Blunk, Operations Training Manager

M. Entwistle, Examination Author

NRC

B. Palagi, Chief Examiner

R. Walton, Examiner

C. Phillips, Examiner

G. Roach, LaSalle Senior Resident Inspector

F. Ramírez, LaSalle Resident Inspector

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None.

LIST OF ACRONYMS

ADAMS Agency-Wide Document Access and Management System

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CR Condition Report

DRS Division of Reactor Safety

ILT Initial License Training

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

PARS Publicly Available Records System

RO Reactor Operator

SCR Silicon Controlled Rectifier

SDP Significance Determination Process

SRO Senior Reactor Operator

SWO Simulator Work Order

Attachment

SIMULATION FACILITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: LaSalle County Station Units 1 and 2

Facility Licensee Docket No. 50-373; 50-374

Operating Tests Administered: August 18 - 22, 2008

The following documents observations made by the NRC 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

CFR 55.45(b). These observations do not affect NRC 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

none

WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS AND ANSWER KEYS (RO/SRO)

RO/SRO Initial Examination ADAMS Accession #ML082770491

Enclosure 3