IR 05000443/2013301
| ML13226A397 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 08/14/2013 |
| From: | Diane Jackson Operations Branch I |
| To: | Walsh K NextEra Energy Seabrook |
| Jackson D | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML13059A103 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-433/13-301 | |
| Download: ML13226A397 (9) | |
Text
August 14, 2013
SUBJECT:
SEABROOK UNIT NO.1 - NRC INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT NO. 05000443/2013301
Dear Mr. Walsh:
On July 24, 2013, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at the Seabrook Station Unit No.1. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on August 1, 2013, with Mr. F. Giannone, Licensed Operator Initial Training Supervisor.
The examination included the evaluation of four applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The license examiners determined that all the applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on August 1, 2013.
No findings were identified during this examination.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRC's"Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure 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 Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).
Mr. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Sincerely,
/RA/
Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-443 License No. NPF-86
Enclosure:
NRC Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report No.05000443/2013301 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information
REGION I==
Docket:
50-443
License:
Report:
Licensee:
NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC
Facility:
Seabrook Station, Unit No.1
Location:
Seabrook, New Hampshire 03874 Dates:
July 15-19, 2013 (Operating Test Administration)
July 24, 2013 (Written Examination Administration)
July 26, 2013 (Licensee Submitted Post Exam Package)
July 31, 2013 (NRC Examination Grading)
August 1, 2013 (Licenses Issued)
Examiners:
D. Silk, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch T. Hedigan, Operations Engineer M. Patel, Operations Engineer J. Tomlinson, Operations Engineer
Approved By:
Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
ii Enclosure
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000443/2013301; 7/15/2013 - 7/24/2013; Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1; Initial Operator
Licensing Examination Report.
NRC examiners evaluated the competency of four applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at the Seabrook Station Unit No. 1. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The written examination was administered by the facility on July 24, 2013. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on July 15-19, 2013. The license examiners determined that all of the applicants satisfied the requirements of 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 of the 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 examiners also audited 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 24, 2013, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 11 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)on July 26, 2013.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all 11 applicants on July 15-19, 2013. The four applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two or three dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four tasks. The five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five tasks. The two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses participated in one dynamic simulator scenario, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five tasks.
b. Findings
All 11 of the applicants passed all parts of the examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 89.3 percent and ranged from 84.0 to 93.3 percent. The senior reactor operator applicants average score was 92.6 percent and ranged from 87.0 to 97.0 percent. The overall written examination average was 91.4 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)system under the accession numbers noted in Attachment 1. There were no post-examination comments submitted by the licensee for this examination. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this 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 for questions that were missed by more than 40 percent of the applicants and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. The licensee did not submit any post-examination comments.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation was listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on April 17, 2013. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on May 21, 2013. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of June 10, 2013. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution for all portions of the exam on July 8, 2013.
b. Findings
The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.
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.
No findings were identified.
.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. However, there were three minor instances in which two simulator switches and an indicator did not respond as expected. Once identified, the simulator was reset and the discrepancies were resolved. The licensee was not able to reproduce the discrepancies. No specific cause could be identified. However, a suspected cause was attributed to a power outage that occurred in the simulator building on July 12, 2013. The licensee entered these discrepancies into their corrective action program (AR189406189406.
.5 Examination Security
a. Examination Scope
The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings were identified. However, during the administration of the operating test, a custodian crossed a security barrier to access cleaning supplies. (This security barrier
- red tape hung across a walkway - was meant to block access to a hallway that led to the simulator room where the operation test was taking place. The simulator room door was closed and posted at the time of this incident.) A training staff personnel observed the custodian crossing the barrier and reported the incident. At no time did the custodian have access to any test material nor observe the administration of operating test. The licensee generated an action report (AR 189005189005 to address this issue.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The chief examiner presented the examination results to Mr. F. Giannone, Licensed Initial Operator Training Supervisor, on August 1, 2013. The licensee acknowledged the results presented.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- K. Browne, Operations Training Manager
- R. Bryant, Examination Developer
- F. Giannone, Licensed Operator Initial Training Supervisor
- M. Leone, Operations Training Supervisor-Continuing Training
- E. Lyons, Examination Developer
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened
NONE
Closed
NONE
Discussed
NONE