IR 05000387/2025301
| ML25246A628 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Susquehanna  |
| Issue date: | 09/03/2025 |
| From: | Sarah Elkhiamy Division of Operating Reactors |
| To: | Berryman B Susquehanna |
| References | |
| IR 2025301 | |
| Download: ML25246A628 (1) | |
Text
September 3, 2025
SUBJECT:
SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000387/2025301 AND 05000388/2025301
Dear Brad Berryman:
On July 30, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at the Susquehanna facility. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on August 21, 2025, with Scott Yokimcus, Operations Training Manager, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, three applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The NRC developed the written and operating examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.
The license examiners determined ten of the eleven applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on August 21, 2025.
No findings were identified during this examination. 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 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Sarah H. Elkhiamy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
Docket Nos. 05000387 and 05000388 License Nos. NPF-14 and NPF-22
Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000387/2025301 and 05000388/2025301 w/Attachment:
Supplementary Information
REGION I==
Docket Nos.
05000387 and 05000388
License Nos.
Enterprise Identifier: L-2025-OLL-0022
Report No.
05000387/2025301 and 05000388/2025301
Licensee:
Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC
Facility:
Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2
Location:
Berwick, PA
Dates:
July 21 - July 25, 2025 (Operating Test Administration)
July 30, 2025 (Written Examination Administration)
August 8, 2025 (Facility Submitted Post Exam Package)
August 5 - August 20, 2025 (NRC Examination Grading)
August 21, 2025 (Licenses Issued)
Examiners:
T. Fish, Chief Examiner
M. Patel, Senior Operations Engineer L. Sinclair, Operations Engineer
J. Morgan, Operations Engineer
J. Kepley, Operations Engineer
R. Riggs, Examiner
Approved By:
Sarah H. Elkhiamy, Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
ER 05000387/2025301 and 05000388/2025301; July 21, 2025 - July 30, 2025; Susquehanna
Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.
Five NRC examiners evaluated the competency of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, three applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The NRC developed the examinations using NUREG-1021,
Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the facility on July 30, 2025. NRC examiners administered the operating tests July 21 - July 25, 2025. The NRC examiners determined that ten of the eleven applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)
Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
No findings were identified.
Licensee-Identified Violations
None.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
The examiners reviewed all 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 examiner also audited three of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications. This audit focused on the applicants experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance
a. Examination Scope
On July 30, 2025, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on August 8, 2025.
The NRC examination team administered various portions of the operating examination July 21 - July 25, 2025. The applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in at least two 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 for instant senior reactor operator licenses participated in at least two 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 applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses participated in at least one dynamic simulator scenario, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.
b. Findings
All applicants passed the operating test; ten of the eleven passed the written examination.
For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 87.7 percent and ranged from 86.6 to 89.3 percent. The senior operator applicants average score was 86.7 percent and ranged from 77.0 to 96.0 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of the 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 and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The NRC developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations during the week of June 2, 2025.
b. Findings
No findings were identified. The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
.4 Simulation Facility Performance
a. Examination Scope
The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.5 Examination Security
a. Examination Scope
The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The chief examiner presented the examination results to Scott Yokimcus, Operations Training Manager, and other members of the licensee's staff on August 21, 2025. The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- K. Kline, Exam Support
- C. Michaels, Exam Support
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
NONE
ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED
Accession No. ML25227A118 - FINAL-Written Exam (Note: In accordance with current NRC
policy, the release of this examination in ADAMS to the public
will be delayed for two years.)
Accession No. ML25227A117 - FINAL-Operating Exam (Note: In accordance with current NRC
policy, the release of this examination in ADAMS to the public
will be delayed for two years.)