IR 05000443/2020301
| ML20260H200 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 09/17/2020 |
| From: | Diane Jackson Operations Branch I |
| To: | Moul D Florida Power & Light Co |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19105A186 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-443/20-301 | |
| Download: ML20260H200 (10) | |
Text
September 17, 2020
SUBJECT:
SEABROOK STATION, UNIT NO. 1 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000443/2020301
Dear Mr. Moul:
On August 6, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on September 3, 2020, with Mr. Chris Adams, Training Director, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three 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 11.
The license examiners determined that all nine applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on September 3, 2020.
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, X /RA/
Signed by: Donald E. Jackson
Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos. 50-443 License Nos. NPF-86
Enclosure:
As stated
REGION I==
Docket No.
05000443
License No.
.
NPF-86 Report No.
Licensee:
NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC
Enterprise Identifier:
L-2020-OLL-0009 Facility:
Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1
Location:
Seabrook, NH Dates:
August 3 - 6, 2020 (Operating Test Administration)
August 10, 2020 (Written Examination Administration)
August 13, 2020 (Licensee Submitted Post Exam Package)
August 24 - 28, 2020 (NRC Examination Grading)
September 3, 2020 (Licenses Issued)
Examiners:
T. Setzer, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch T. Hedigan, Operations Engineer D. Silk, Senior Operations Engineer T. Wingfield, Operations Engineer Approved By:
Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
ER 05000443/2020301; 08/03/2020 - 08/10/2020; Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1; Initial Operator
Licensing Examination Report.
Four NRC examiners evaluated the competency of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The facility developed the examinations using NUREG-1021,
Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 11.
The written examination was administered by the facility on August 10, 2020. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on August 3 - 6, 2020. The NRC examiners determined that all nine applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
No findings were identified.
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 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 August 10, 2020, 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 13, 2020.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all applicants on August 3 - 6, 2020. The applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The applicants seeking an instant senior reactor operator license participated in at least two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 10 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks. The applicants seeking an upgrade senior reactor license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.
b. Findings
All nine applicants passed all parts of the operating test and the written examination.
For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 87 percent and ranged from 85 to 89 percent; the senior operator applicants average score was 91 percent and ranged from 87 to 95 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment. 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. Licensee training staff performed this analysis and forwarded it to the Chief Examiner. There were no post-examination comments provided by the licensee.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The facility developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 11.
All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The NRC developed the written exam outline and provided it to the licensee on January 21, 2020. The licensee submitted the operating examination outline on March 6, 2020. The Chief Examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021 and provided comments to the licensee. The licensee submitted the draft examination package on May 20, 2020. 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 July 6 - 9, 2020. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on July 16, 2020.
b. Findings
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.
.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, Revision 11 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
On July 8, 2020, during the onsite validation visit the Chief Examiner was notified by the licensee that a potential exam security compromise had occurred. Specifically, the licensee validator informed the Radiation Protection Health Physicist of the detailed location of a JPM walkdown prior to entering the radiologically controlled area (RCA).
While this was in accordance with site procedures for briefings prior to entering an RCA, it was not in accordance with exam security requirements because the Health Physicist was not signed on to the exam security agreement. As such this person was procedurally restricted from having detailed knowledge of the exam.
NextEra procedure, TR-AA-220-1002, NRC Licensed Operator Exam Security, Section 4.5, In-Plant Security Requirements, Step 2, states:
Plant personnel who have not signed the applicable Exam Security Agreement shall not be given detailed knowledge of Exam Sensitive Material. If required by plant procedures, personnel may be given general information about plant locations where development, validation, or administration is to be performed (e.g., Radiologically controlled area entries).
The Chief Examiner reviewed the issue and determined that the actions of the validator did not meet this guidance. Specifically, the licensee validator provided detailed exam sensitive material to the Health Physicist by providing the exact location of the JPM. The Health Physicist was not signed on to the exam security agreement.
The Chief Examiner determined that the failure to adhere to the exam security requirements of procedure TR-AA-220-1002 was a performance deficiency that was within NextEras ability to foresee and correct. The performance deficiency was not willful and traditional enforcement does not apply.
The performance deficiency was screened using NRC Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC)0612, Appendix B, Additional Issue Screening Guidance, and IMC 0612, Appendix E, Examples of Minor Issues. The Chief Examiner determined that the performance deficiency was minor, because it is similar to example 4.b of IMC 0612, Appendix E.
Specifically, this issue represented a singular, isolated instance of an insignificant procedural error where there were no safety consequences. Therefore, this performance deficiency was determined to be minor in significance and has been entered into the licensees corrective action program (CR 02365113). Licensee corrective actions included removing the JPM from the exam and replacing it with a new JPM that was validated by both the NRC and licensee.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The Chief Examiner presented the examination results to Mr. Chris Adams, Training Director, and other members of the licensee's staff on September 3, 2020. The licensee acknowledged the observations presented.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
Chris Adams, Training Director
Mark Martellotta, Exam Author
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
None