IR 05000443/2023301
| ML23135A161 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 05/15/2023 |
| From: | Diane Jackson NRC/RGN-I/DORS/OB |
| To: | Coffey B Florida Power & Light Co |
| References | |
| EPID L-2023-OLL-0003 IR 2023301 | |
| Download: ML23135A161 (1) | |
Text
May 15, 2023
SUBJECT:
SEABROOK STATION, UNIT 1 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000443/2023301
Dear Bob Coffey:
On March 15, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Seabrook Station, Unit 1. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on April 18, 2023, with C. Robinson, Site Training Director, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of four applicants for reactor operator licenses and five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12. The license examiners determined that seven of the 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 April 18, 2023.
The initial reactor operator and senior reactor operator written examination submittal failed to meet the guidelines for quality contained in NUREG-1021. The initial operating test 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 in accordance with NUREG-1021.
No findings were identified during this examination.
Two applicants for a reactor operator license failed the written examination portion of the exam and were denied licenses. In accordance with 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 Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
Sincerely, Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
Docket No. 05000443 License No. NPF-86
Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000443/2023301 w/Attachment 1: Supplementary Information Attachment 2: Simulator Fidelity Report
REGION I==
Docket No.
05000443
License No.
Enterprise Identifier:
Report No.
Licensee:
NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC
Facility:
Seabrook Station, Unit 1
Location:
Seabrook, NH 03874
Dates:
March 6-10, 2023 (Operating Test Administration)
March 15, 2023 (Written Examination Administration)
March 17, 2023 (Facility Submitted Post-Exam Package)
March 13-April 12, 2023 (NRC Examination Grading)
April 18, 2023 (Licenses Issued)
Examiners:
J. DeMarshall, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer B. Bergeon, Senior Operations Engineer T. Hedigan, Operations Engineer Approved By:
Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
ER 05000443/2023301;March 6-15, 2023; Seabrook Station, Unit 1; Initial Operator Licensing
Examination Report.
Three NRC examiners evaluated the competency of four applicants for reactor operator licenses and five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the facility on March 15, 2023. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on March 6 through 10, 2023.
The NRC examiners determined that seven of the 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.
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 nine 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 100 percent of the license applications 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 March 15, 2023, 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 March 17, 2023.
The NRC examination team administered various portions of the operating examination on March 6 through 10, 2023. The four applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in at least two dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of eleven system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The five 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 ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
All nine of the applicants passed the operating test. Two reactor operator applicants failed the written examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 82.3 percent and ranged from 74.6 to 94.6 percent. The senior reactor operator applicants average score was 86.4 percent and ranged from 81.0 to 90.0 percent.
The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on April 12, 2023 and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this written examination will be delayed for two years. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.
ES-4.4 of NUREG-1021 instructs the licensee to evaluate the overall group performance of each written examination question to identify any indications of a problem with the question or a deficiency in the facility licensee training program. The licensee conducted this analysis and submitted the results to the Chief Examiner. The performance analysis revealed that ten questions (3, 22, 27, 29, 48, 49, 70, 76, 86, and 96) were missed by more than 50 percent of the applicants. The analysis attributed applicant performance on each of these questions to knowledge gaps. The licensee determined that these questions were not flawed and addressed the associated knowledge deficiencies during the examination review session.
ES-4.4 of NUREG-1021 also instructs the licensee to submit all post-examination comments made by the facility licensee and the applicants. No post-examination comments were submitted by the licensee.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted the operating examination outline on September 14, 2022. 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 December 6, 2022. The Chief Examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021 and provided comments to the licensee on the examination. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of January 30, 2023. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on February 24, 2023.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
The NRC determined that the licensees initial operating test submittal was within the range of acceptability for the proposed examination. However, the NRC determined that the licensees reactor operator and senior reactor operator written examination submittal was outside the range of acceptable quality specified by NUREG-1021. The initial written examination submittal was outside the range of acceptable quality because more than 20 percent of both the reactor operator and senior reactor operator questions contained unacceptable flaws. Individual questions were evaluated as unsatisfactory for the following reasons:
- Questions failed to meet the intent of the randomly selected K/A statement (i.e.,
K/A mismatch flaws).
- Questions on the senior reactor operator examination were not written at the appropriate license level.
- Questions contained cues to the correct answer.
- Questions contained two or more implausible distractors.
- Tier 4 questions did not sufficiently test the Generic Fundamental Exam concepts.
.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 12 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The Chief Examiner presented the examination results to C. Robinson, Site Training Director, and other members of the licensee's staff on April 18, 2023.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ATTACHMENT 1:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
Chris Robinson, Site Training Director
Mike Magri, Exam Project Manager
Mark Martellotta, Exam Author
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
NONE