IR 05000397/2023301
| ML23117A175 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 05/01/2023 |
| From: | Heather Gepford NRC/RGN-IV/DORS/OB |
| To: | Schuetz R Energy Northwest |
| References | |
| IR 2023301 | |
| Download: ML23117A175 (1) | |
Text
May 01, 2023
SUBJECT:
COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000397/2023301
Dear Mr. Schuetz:
On April 20, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at Columbia Generating Station. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on April 12, 2023, with Mr. K. Robertson, Exam Group Supervisor. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on April 20, 2023, with Mr. D. Brown, Site Vice President, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.
The examination included the evaluation of seven applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that twelve of the thirteen applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued. There was one post-examination comment submitted by your staff. Enclosure 1 contains details of this report and Enclosure 2 summarizes post-examination comment resolution.
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, Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket No. 05000397 License No. NPF-21 Enclosures:
1.
Examination Report 05000397/2023301 w/attachment: Supplemental Information 2.
NRC Post-Examination Comment Resolution Electronic distribution via LISTSERV Signed by Gepford, Heather on 05/01/23
ML23117A175 SUNSI Review:
ADAMS:
Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Keyword:
By: NAH Yes No Publicly Available Sensitive NRC-002 OFFICE OE:DORS/OB SOE:DORS/OB OE:DORS/OB OE:DORS/OB OE:DORS/OB C:DRS/OB NAME NHernandez JKirkland DYou KMurphy JDemarshall HGepford SIGNATURE
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DATE 04/27/23 04/27/23 04/27/23 04/27/23 04/28/23 05/01/23
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Inspection Report
Docket Number:
05000397
License Number:
Report Number:
Enterprise Identifier:
Licensee:
Energy Northwest
Facility:
Columbia Generating Station
Location:
Richland, Washington
Inspection Dates:
February 20, 2023, to April 20, 2023
Inspectors:
N. Hernandez, Operations Engineer, Chief Examiner
J. Kirkland, Senior Operations Engineer
J. Demarshall, Senior Operations Engineer
D. You, Operations Engineer
K. Murphy, Operations Engineer
Approved By:
Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
Examination Report 05000397/2023301; February 20 - April 20, 2023; Columbia Generating
Station; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report
The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of seven applicants for reactor operator
licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for
upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Columbia Generating Station.
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 March 9, 2023. The NRC examiners administered the operating
tests on February 20-24, 2023.
The NRC examiners determined that twelve of the thirteen applicants satisfied the requirements
of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
A.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
None.
B.
Licensee-Identified Violations
None.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES - INITIAL LICENSE EXAM
.1
License Applications
a.
Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed all license applications submitted to ensure each
applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The NRC examiners also
audited six 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
Examination Development
a.
Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed integrated examination outlines and draft examinations
submitted by the licensee against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC
examiners conducted an onsite validation of the operating tests.
b.
Findings
The NRC examiners provided outline, draft examination, and post-validation comments
to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to
examination administration.
The NRC examiners determined the written examinations and operating tests initially
submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed
examination.
.3
Operator Knowledge and Performance
a.
Scope
On March 9, 2023, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations
to all thirteen applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed
the results, and presented their analysis and post-examination comments to the NRC on
March 21, 2023.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to
all applicants from February 20-24, 2023.
b.
Findings
No findings were identified.
All applicants passed the written examination, and twelve applicants passed all parts of
the operating test. The final examinations and post-examination analysis and comments
may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the
attachment. In accordance with NRC policy, the exams may be delayed for public
release for up to two and a half years; and will be released for public viewing on July 9,
2025.
The examination team noted no generic weaknesses associated with applicant
performance on the operating tests. Post-examination analysis revealed seven generic
weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examination.
Specifically, the following questions had a miss rate of greater than 50%: questions 11,
18, 22, 35, 69, 79, and 89. These weaknesses were captured in the licensees
corrective action program as condition report 442950. Copies of all individual
examination reports were sent to the facility training manager for evaluation and
determination of appropriate remedial training.
.4
Simulation Facility Performance
a.
Scope
The NRC examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during
examination validation and administration.
b.
Findings
No findings were identified.
.5
Examination Security
a.
Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed examination security for examination development during
both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance
with 10 CFR 55.49 and NUREG-1021. Plans for simulator security and applicant control
were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
Findings
No findings were identified.
EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS
Exit Meeting Summary
The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. K. Robertson and other
members of the staff on April 12, 2023. A telephonic exit was conducted on April 20, 2023,
between Mr. N. Hernandez, chief examiner, and Mr. D. Brown, Site Vice President.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as
proprietary.
ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED
Accession No. ML23115A344 - FINAL WRITTEN EXAMS
Accession No. ML23115A345 - FINAL OPERATING TEST
Accession No. ML23115A355 - POST-EXAMINATION ANALYSIS-COMMENTS
Enclosure 2
NRC Resolution to the Columbia Generating Station Post-Examination Comment
A complete text of the licensee's post-examination analysis and comments can be found in
ADAMS under Accession Number ML23115A355.
SRO QUESTION # 95
COMMENT: The licensee recommended accepting answer choice A in addition to answer
choice B. This question involved providing the applicant with a stuck rod and the applicable
technical specification action statement, 3.1.3, Control Rod Operability. The applicant was then
asked to determine the combination of control rods that would not violate rod separation criteria.
The original answer is correct; the rod combinations in answer choice B will not violate rod
separation criteria. During post examination analysis licensee staff identified a typographical
error that resulted in two correct answers. Answer choice A was intended to contain control rod 46-43 but mistakenly contained control rod 46-47. Therefore, distractor A is also correct.
NRC RESOLUTION: The NRC agrees with the licensee's recommendation to accept both A
and B as correct answers for Question #95. This is based on the control rod combination
provided in answer choice A also being a combination that will not violate control rod
separation criteria.
TS Bases for LCO 3.1.3 describes conditions where the stuck control rod separation criteria are
not met: The separation criteria are not met if: a) the stuck control rod occupies a location
adjacent to two "slow" control rods, b) the stuck control rod occupies a location adjacent to one
"slow" control rod, and the one "slow" control rod is also adjacent to another "slow" control rod,
or c) if the stuck control rod occupies a location adjacent to one "slow" control rod when there is
another pair of "slow" control rods adjacent to one another.