IR 05000424/2019301

NRC Operator License Examination Report 05000424/2019301 and 05000425/2019301

ML19228A246
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	08/14/2019
From:	Eugene Guthrie Division of Reactor Safety II
To:	Taber K Southern Nuclear Operating Co
References
IR 2019301
Download: ML19228A246 (11)

Text

UNITED STATES ugust 14, 2019

SUBJECT:

VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT UNITS 1 & 2NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000424/2019301 AND 05000425/2019301

Dear Mr. Taber:

During the period June 10 - 14, 2019 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 1 & 2. At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating tests with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by your staff on June 20, 2019.

All three Reactor Operator (RO) and all nine Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. There was one post-administration comment concerning the operating test. This comment, and the NRC resolution of it, are summarized in Enclosure 2. A Simulator Fidelity Report is included as Enclosure 3.

The initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination. All examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and your staff were made according to NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 11.

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

If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 997-4662.

Sincerely,

/RA: Gerald J. McCoy for/

Eugene F. Guthrie, Chief Operations Branch 2 Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos: 50-424, 50-425 License Nos: NPF-68, NPF-81 Enclosures:

1. Report Details 2. Facility Comments and NRC Resolution 3. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via Listserv cc:

Cheryl A. Gayheart Regulatory Affairs Director Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Inc.

3535 Colonnade Parkway Birmingham, AL 35243

ML19228A246 _ SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE FORM 665 ATTACHED OFFICE RII/ DRS/OL1 RII/ DRS/OL1 RII/ DRS/OL1 RII/ DRS/OL1 RII/ DRS/OL2 SIGNATURE DRL2 JBB5 JDB10 MCD11 GJM1 for GXG NAME D. Lanyi J. Baptist J. Bundy M. Donithan E. Guthrie DATE 8/12/2019 8/6/2019 8/9/2019 8/12/2019 8/ 14 /2019 E-MAIL COPY? YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Examination Report Docket No.: 50-424, 50-425 License No.: NPF-68, NPF-81 Report No.: 05000424/2019301, 05000425/2019301 EPID No.: L-2019-OLL-0023 Licensee: Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Facility: Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 1 & 2 Location: Waynesboro, GA 30830 Dates: Operating Test - June 10 - 14, 2019 Written Examination - June 20, 2019 Examiners: D. Lanyi, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer J. Baptist, Senior Operations Engineer M. Donithan, Operations Engineer J. Bundy, Operations Engineer Approved by: Eugene F. Guthrie, Chief Operations Branch 2 Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY

ER 05000424/2019301,05000425/2019301; June 10 - 14, 2019; Vogtle Electric Generating

Plant Units 1 & 2; Operator License Examinations.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in accordance with the guidelines in Revision 11 of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR 55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicable.

Members of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 1 & 2 staff developed both the operating test and the written examination. The initial operating test, written RO examination, and written SRO examination submittals met the quality guidelines contained in NUREG-1021.

The NRC administered the operating test during the period June 10 - 14, 2019. Members of the Vogtle 1&2 training staff administered the written examination on June 20, 2019. All three Reactor Operator (RO) and all nine Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. All twelve applicants were issued licenses commensurate with the level of examination administered.

There was one post-examination comment pertaining to the operating test.

No findings were identified.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations

a. Inspection Scope

The NRC evaluated the submitted operating test by combining the scenario events and Job Performance Measures (JPMs) in order to determine the percentage of submitted test items that required replacement or significant modification. The NRC also evaluated the submitted written examination questions (RO and SRO questions considered separately) in order to determine the percentage of submitted questions that required replacement or significant modification, or that clearly did not conform with the intent of the approved knowledge and ability (K/A) statement. Any questions that were deleted during the grading process, or for which the answer key had to be changed, were also included in the count of unacceptable questions. The percentage of submitted test items that were unacceptable was compared to the acceptance criteria of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors.

The NRC reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of examinations and tests.

The NRC administered the operating test during the period June 10 - 14, 2019. The NRC examiners evaluated three Reactor Operator (RO) and nine Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-1021. Members of the Vogtle 1&2 training staff administered the written examination on June 20, 2019.

A review of associated documentation was performed to determine if the applicants met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55, Operators Licenses.

The NRC evaluated the performance or fidelity of the simulation facility during the preparation and conduct of the operating tests.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

The NRC developed the written examination sample plan outline. Members of the Vogtle 1&2 training staff developed both the operating test and the written examination.

All examination material was developed in accordance with the guidelines contained in Revision 11 of NUREG-1021. The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examination. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.

The NRC determined using NUREG-1021 that the licensees initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

All three RO applicants and all nine SRO applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. All twelve applicants were issued licenses commensurate with the level of examination administered.

Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial training.

The licensee submitted one post-examination comment concerning the operating test.

A copy of the final written examination and answer key, with all changes incorporated, may be accessed not earlier than June 20, 2021, in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML19215A012 and ML19215A013). The licensees post-examination comment is available in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Number ML19215A011).

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

Exit Meeting Summary

On June 14, 2019 the NRC examination team discussed generic issues associated with the operating test with Mr. Keith Taber, Site Vice-President, and members of the Vogtle 1&2 staff. The examiners asked the licensee if any of the examination material was proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Licensee personnel K. Taber Site Vice President J. Thomas Plant Manager T. Krienke Operations Director D. Thompson Operations Training Manager D. Stiles Training Director E. Tew Licensing Manager K. Walden Licensing Engineer M. Horn Regulatory Affairs Manager B. Johnson ILT Lead Instructor J. Overstreet Maintenance & Technical Training Manager K. Jenkins Regulatory Lead Exam Author

FACILITY POST-EXAMINATION COMMENTS AND NRC RESOLUTIONS

A complete text of the licensees post-examination comments can be found in ADAMS under

Accession Number ML19215A011. The licensees post-examination comment was related to

the operating test.

Question 1

JPM f - Discontinue Parallel Operation by Removing DG1A from Bus 1AA02

Comment

The licensee stated that the submitted JPM answer key required the applicant to reduce DG1A

load to remove it from bus 1AA02. As the load was being reduced, 1AA02 bus (and DG1A)

frequency lowered uncontrollably to 59 Hz. The applicant was then required to respond to this

condition using the appropriate response procedure.

Procedure 17035-1, "Annunciator Response Procedures for ALB35 on EAB Panel," for window

ALB35-D06 DG1A GEN UNDER FREQ. required the applicant to Check bus frequency. If

less than or equal to 59.5 Hz, ensure Diesel Generator Breaker, 1 AA02-19, has tripped. The

JPM standard identified this as a critical step.

The licensee stated that NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power

Reactors," Appendix 'C', page C3, defines a critical step as a step "that the examinees must

perform correctly (i.e., accurately, in the proper sequence, and at the proper time) to accomplish

the task standard." Based on this definition, this step should NOT be a critical step because if

step 7 was NOT performed, then the task standard would still be met as long as the applicant

successfully stopped DG1 A (normal or emergency stop) during the performance of the JPM.

If the applicant performed a normal or emergency stop of DG1 A in the following procedure

(JPM) step, the DG1 A output breaker would automatically open. Stopping DG1A continued to

be a critical step because it must have been performed to accomplish the task standard, which

required DG1A to be stopped with its output breaker open. The DG1A output breaker was

designed to automatically open when a Normal, Emergency, or Overspeed stop of DG1 A

occurs, so there was no negative consequence to this operating sequence. Therefore, the

facility recommended removing the critical step designation from this JPM step.

NRC Resolution

The licensees recommendation was not accepted. The answer key to JPM f has not been

revised.

The NRC disagrees with the licensees contention that step 7 was not critical. By not opening

the diesel output breaker prior to tripping the machine, the applicant unnecessarily tested the

automatic interlock that opened the breaker. If this interlock had failed, the diesel would have

shut down still connected to the grid, potentially damaging the safety-related piece of

equipment. This possibility of damage made the step safety significant and therefore the step

remained critical.

SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Units 1 & 2

Facility Docket No.: 05000424, 05000425

Operating Test Administered: June 10 - 14, 2019

This form is used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit or

inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with Inspection

Procedure 71111.11 are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee

action is required in response to these observations.

No simulator fidelity or configuration issues were identified.

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