IR 05000443/2024301
| ML25021A158 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 01/21/2025 |
| From: | Diane Jackson NRC/RGN-I/DORS/OB |
| To: | Coffey B Florida Power & Light Co |
| References | |
| IR 2024301 | |
| Download: ML25021A158 (1) | |
Text
January 21, 2025
SUBJECT:
SEABROOK STATION, UNIT 1 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000443/2024301
Dear Bob Coffey:
On November 13, 2024, 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 December 13, 2024, with M. Magri, Site Training Manager, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license. The written examination and operating tests were developed using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.
The license examiners determined that five 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 December 13, 2024.
Three applicants for a reactor operator license failed the written examination portion of the exam and were denied licenses. One applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license failed the SRO-only section of the written examination and requested that the NRC staff conduct an informal review of the preliminary results.
The written examination, administered operating test, and documents related to the development and review (outlines, review comments and resolution, etc.) of the examination will be withheld from public disclosure until November 13, 2026. However, because four applicants received Preliminary Results Letters due to receiving a non-passing grade on the written examination, the applicants were provided copies of the written examination material. For examination security purposes, your staff should therefore consider the written examination material uncontrolled and exposed to the public.
No findings were identified during this examination. 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. 50-443 License No. NPF-86
Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000443/2024301 w/Attachment 1: Supplementary Information and 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:
November 4-7, 2024 (Operating Test Administration)
November 13, 2024 (Written Examination Administration)
November 22, 2024 (Facility Submitted Post-Exam Package)
November 8-December 9, 2024 (NRC Examination Grading)
December 13, 2024 (Licenses Issued)
Examiners:
J. DeMarshall, Senior Operations Engineer (CE)
B. Bergeon, Senior Operations Engineer T. Hedigan, Operations Engineer C. Henckel, Operations Engineer R. Chan, Operations Engineer (U/I)
J. Morgan, Operations Engineer (U/I)
Approved By:
Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
ER 05000443/2024301; November 4-13, 2024; Seabrook Station, Unit 1; Initial Operator
Licensing Examination Report.
Four NRC examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for a reactor operator license, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license. The NRC developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.
The written examination was administered by the facility on November 13, 2024. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on November 4-7, 2024. The NRC examiners determined that five 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 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 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 November 13, 2024, 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 November 22, 2024.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating test to all applicants on November 4-7, 2024. The three 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. The one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license participated in at least one dynamic simulator scenario, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five 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. Three reactor operator applicants failed the written examination and one instant senior reactor operator applicant failed the SRO-only section of the written examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 75.5 percent and ranged from 74.6 to 76.0 percent. The senior operator applicants average score was 87.5 percent and ranged from 79.0 to 94.0 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession number noted in Attachment 1.
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 seven questions (27, 28, 58, 77, 83, 91, and 97) 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 (i.e., acceptable as written) 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. In accordance with current NRC policy, release of the written examination in ADAMS to the public will be delayed for two years.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The NRC developed the examinations and outlines in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 12. The NRC provided the licensee with the written exam outline on November 8, 2023, and the operating test outline on February 23, 2024. The NRC submitted the draft examination package on June 7, 2024. The licensee reviewed the draft examination package and provided comments to the Chief Examiner. The NRC conducted an onsite pre-validation of the operating test scenarios the week of August 5, 2024, and a comprehensive onsite validation of the operating test the week of September 30, 2024. Written exam and operating test comment resolution was satisfactorily completed on October 25, 2024. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.4 Simulation Facility Performance
a. Examination Scope
The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the onsite pre-validation, onsite validation, and exam administration activities.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.5 Examination Security
a. Examination Scope
The examiners reviewed examination security for the developmental phase of the exam and during the onsite pre-validation, onsite validation, and exam administration weeks, 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 M. Magri, Site Training Manager, and other members of the licensee's staff on December 13, 2024.
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
Michael Magri, Site Training Manager
Jeff Hinze, Fleet Training Manager
Mark Martellotta, Exam Author
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
NONE