IR 05000400/2007301

IR 05000400-07-301; Carolina Power & Light Company; 08/13-16/2007 08/23/2007; Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant - NRC Examination Report

ML072780258
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	10/05/2007
From:	Widmann M Division of Reactor Safety II
To:	Duncan R Carolina Power & Light Co
References
IR-07-301
Download: ML072780258 (9)

Text

ber 5, 2007

SUBJECT:

SHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT NO. 05000400/2007301

Dear Mr. Duncan:

During the period of August 13-16, 2007, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

administered operating examinations to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. The examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating test and written examination submittal with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report on August 17, 2007. The written examination was administered by your staff on August 23, 2007.

Four Senior Reactor Operator applicants and three Reactor Operator applicants passed both the written and operating examinations. There was one post examination comment. The NRC resolution to this comment is summarized in Enclosure 2. A Simulation Facility Report is included in this report as Enclosure 3.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs 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 (PARS) component of NRCs document system (ADAMS).

ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

\\RA\\

Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-400 License No. NPF-63

Enclosures:

(See page 2)

CP&L 2 Enclosures: 1. Report Details 2. NRC Resolution to the Facility Comment 3. Simulation Facility Report

REGION II==

Docket Nos.: 05000400 License Nos.: NPF-63 Report Nos.: 05000400/2007301 Licensee: Carolina Power & Light Company (CP&L)

Facility: Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Location: 5413 Shearon Harris Road New Hill, NC 27562 Dates: Operating Tests - August 13-16, 2007 Written Examination - August 23, 2007 Examiners: F. Ehrhardt, Chief Examiner R. Monk, Senior Resident Inspector (Examiner Certified)

P. Presby, Operations Engineer (RI)

Approved by: M. Widmann, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ER 05000400/2007301; 8/13-23/2007; Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Licensed Operator Examinations.

The NRC examiners conducted operator licensing initial examinations in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Rev. 9. This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements of 10 CFR §55.41,

§55.43, and §55.45.

The NRC administered the operating tests during the period of August 13-16, 2007. Members of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant training staff administered the written examination on August 23, 2007. The operator licensing initial written examinations and operating tests were developed by the licensee. Four Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and three Reactor Operator (RO) applicants passed both the written and operating examinations. Three SRO applicants and two RO applicants were issued operating licenses. One SRO applicant and one RO applicant were issued letters stating that they passed both the written and operating examinations and that their licenses will not be issued until the licensee has certified in writing that they have completed the experience for which they were granted waivers.

The initial written examination submittal was determined to be outside of the acceptable quality range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Thirty-three out of 75 questions on the RO examination were significantly modified or replaced and seven out of 25 questions on the SRO examination were significantly modified or replaced as a result of the NRCs review of the submittal.

Individual questions were evaluated as unsatisfactory because they did not test the knowledge required by the selected topic, contained implausible distractors, and/or contained other psychometric flaws. Future examination submittals need to incorporate lessons learned from this effort.

Enclosure 1 Report Details 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)

4OA5 Operator Licensing Initial Examinations a. Inspection Scope The licensee developed the operating tests and written examinations. The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examination material to determine whether it was developed in accordance with NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made according to NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.

The examiners reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations to ensure examination security and integrity complied with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests.

The examiners evaluated four SRO and three RO applicants who were being assessed under the guidelines specified in NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating tests during the period of August 13-16, 2007. Members of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant training staff administered the written examination on August 23, 2007. The evaluations of the applicants and review of documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licensees to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, met requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55.

b. Findings The initial written examination submittal was evaluated to be outside of the acceptable quality range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Thirty-three out of 75 questions on the RO examination were significantly modified or replaced and seven out of 25 questions on the SRO examination were significantly modified or replaced as a result of the NRCs review of the submittal. Individual questions were evaluated as unsatisfactory because they did not test the knowledge required by the selected topic, contained implausible distractors, and/or contained other psychometric flaws. Future examination submittals need to incorporate lessons learned from this effort.

Four SRO and three RO applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. The licensee submitted one post examination comment concerning the operating examination. The written examination, and examination references may be accessed in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Number ML072760077, ML072760022, ML072760013).

Enclosure 1

4OA6 Meetings Exit Meeting Summary On August 17, 2007, the Chief Examiner discussed generic applicant performance and examination development issues with members of licensee management. The inspectors asked the licensee whether any materials examined during the inspection should be considered proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.

On September 18, 2007, Robert Haag, former Chief, Operations Branch, discussed written examination results with Greg Kilpatrick, Superintendent - Operations Training.

PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensee R. Duncan, Vice President - Harris Nuclear Plant J. Warner, Manager - Operations D. McGee, Manager - Shift Operations W. Gurganious, Manager - Training T. Toler, Supervisor - Operator Initial Training D. Corlett, Supervisor - Licensing/Regulatory Programs C. Kamilaris, Manager - Nuclear Assessment M. Wallace, Senior Specialist - Licensing T. Natale, Manager - Site Support Services G. Kilpatrick, Superintendent - Operations Training NRC P. OBryan, Senior Resident Inspector M. King, Resident Inspector Enclosure 1

NRC Resolution to the Facility Comment Test Item Administrative JPM A-3: Determine and Apply the Facility Dose Limits (Calculate Stay Time)

Facility Comment Administrative JPM A-3 for the RO and SRO candidates was to determine the lowest facility limit and calculate the stay time for operation of a specific valve. Each candidate was given a survey map and a Radiological Work Permit (RWP) to use. The answer key provided with this JPM used a dose rate of 3 mr/hr for the area where the work would be performed. However, a review of the survey map shows that in addition to the two 3 mr/hr areas used in the key, there is an equidistant 4 mr/hr area adjacent to the work area as well. Using this 4 mr/hr area for calculating the stay time would be conservative for some situations depending on the assumptions the candidate makes.

NRC Resolution The licensee recommendation was accepted.

Applicant performance was evaluated as satisfactory if the applicant correctly determined a stay time by using a dose rate of either 3 mr/hr or 4 mr/hr.

Enclosure 2

Simulation Facility Report Facility Licensee: Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Facility Docket No.: 05000400 Operating Tests Administered on: August 13-16, 2007 This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with IP 71111.11, are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee action is required in response to these observations.

While validating the simulator portion of the operating tests, examiners observed the following item:

Item Description PRT Rupture The Pressurizer Relief Tank pressure spikes to greater than 120 psig and Disk then decreases to ambient pressure within approximately 8 seconds of a single pressurizer PORV opening (due to controlling pressurizer pressure channel failing high.)

Correction to the PRT rupture time is warranted based on the licensees comparison of plant data from a similar actual event that occurred in 1995 with data from the simulator for this event. The licensee generated Simulator Service Request number 07-0248 to track this item.

Enclosure 3