IR 05000373/2024301

Initial License Examination Report 05000373/2024301 05000374/2024301

ML24303A401
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle
Issue date:	10/31/2024
From:	Paul Zurawski NRC/RGN-III/DORS/OB
To:	Rhoades D Constellation Energy Generation, Constellation Nuclear
Roach G.
Shared Package
ML22336A017	List: IR 05000373/2024301 ML24024A133 ML24260A049
References
2024301
Download: ML24303A401 (1)

Text

SUBJECT:

LASALLE COUNTY STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000373/2024301; 05000374/2024301

Dear David Rhoades:

On October 15, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your LaSalle County Station. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on September 30, 2024, with Daniel Mearhoff, Senior Manager Site Training and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by teleconference on October 18, 2024, between John Van Fleet, Site Vice President of your staff and Gregory Roach, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. During the teleconference conversation, the NRC noted that no post-examination comments were submitted by the facility, in its post-examination submittal package received by the NRC on October 15, 2024.

The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the weeks of September 23, 2024, and September 30, 2024. The written examination was administered by training department personnel on October 3, 2024. Six Senior Reactor Operator and seven Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. One Reactor Operator was granted an excusal from the operating test as they had previously successfully completed an NRC operating test at LaSalle County Station. The results of the examinations were finalized on October 28, 2024. Eleven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations.

Four were issued senior operator licenses and seven were issued operator licenses.

The as-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 October 15, 2026. The enclosure contains details of this report.

However, since two applicants received a Preliminary Results letter, one received an examination score of less than 70.0 percent on their senior operator written examination and less than 80.0 percent on their overall written examination and one received unsatisfactory grades on four of fifteen total job performance measures, the applicants were provided copies of the portions of the examination in which they received an unsatisfactory grade. For examination security purposes, your staff should consider these portions of the examination uncontrolled and exposed to the public.October 31, 2024 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 Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.

Sincerely, Paul J. Zurawski, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-373; 50-374 License Nos. NPF-11; NPF-18 Enclosure:

1. Examination Report 05000373/2024301; 05000374/2024301 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via LISTSERV Daniel Mearhoff, Senior Manager Site Training Signed by Zurawski, Paul on 10/31/24

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000373/2024301; 05000374/2024301; 09/23/2024-10/15/2024; Constellation Energy

Generation, 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 (NRC) examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,

Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.

Examination Summary:

Eleven of thirteen applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Four applicants were issued senior operator licenses, and seven applicants were issued operator licenses. (Section 4OA5.1).

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 August 19, 2024, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited four 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 September 23, 2024, through September 30, 2024. The facility licensee administered the written examination on October 3, 2024.

On October 15, 2024, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners.

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.

During validation of the written examination, several questions were modified or replaced. 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, 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 October 15, 2026, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML22336A016, ML22336A015, ML22336A014, and ML22336A019 respectively).

The NRC examiners graded the written examination on October 16, 2024, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. Post-examination analysis revealed generic weaknesses in applicant performance with two Emergency and Abnormal Plant Evolutions, three Plant Systems, and two Generic Knowledge and Abilities questions with more than 50 percent of applicants answering incorrectly.

(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.

During the validation of the operating test, several Job Performance Measures (JPMs)were modified or replaced, and some modifications were made to the dynamic simulator scenarios. 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, 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 October 15, 2026, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML22336A016, ML22336A015, ML22336A014, and ML22336A019 respectively).

The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on October 24, 2024.

Post-examination analysis revealed generic weaknesses in applicant performance in the area(s) of procedural compliance, locations of components in the control room and plant, implementation of Technical Specification requirements, and the use of critical parameters. It is expected that significant delta training will be conducted.

(3) Examination Results

Six applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and six applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered operating tests. One applicant at the RO level was excused from the operating test. Six applicants at the SRO level and seven applicants at the RO level were administered written examinations. Eleven applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on October 28, 2024. Two applicants did not pass all portions of their respective examinations and were issued Preliminary Results Letters on October 28, 2024.

.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 Title10 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

None.

4OA6 Meetings

.1 Debrief

The chief examiner presented the examination teams preliminary observations and findings on September 30, 2024, to Daniel Mearhoff, Senior Manager Site Training and other members of the LaSalle County Station Operations and Training Department staff.

.2 Exit Meeting

The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on October 18, 2024, with John Van Fleet, Site Vice President by teleconference. The NRCs final disposition of the stations grading of the written examination and post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed during the teleconference. The chief examiner asked the licensee whether any of the retained submitted material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

J. Van Fleet, Site Vice President

J. Reda, Plant Manager

D. Mearhoff, Senior Manager Site Training

D. Lyga, Operations Training Manager

D. Mata, Lead Exam Author

C. Armstrong, Operations Exam Facility Representative

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

J. Benjamin, Senior Resident Inspector

J. Meszaros, Resident Inspector

G. Roach, Chief Examiner

B. Jebbia, Operations Engineer

T. Wingfield, Operations Engineer

R. Williams, Operations Engineer (RIV)

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None

LIST OF ACRONYMS USED

ADAMS Agencywide Document Access and Management System

LCO Limiting Condition for Operation

NRC U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

RO Reactor Operator

SR Surveillance Requirement

SRO Senior Reactor Operator

SIMULATION FACILITY FIDELITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: LaSalle County Station

Facility Docket No: 50-373, 50-374

Operating Tests Administered: September 23-30, 2024

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.

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