IR 05000445/2015302

Er 05000445/2015302; 05000446/2015302; on 06/01/2015 - 06/23/2015; the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML15177A127
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	06/26/2015
From:	Vincent Gaddy Operations Branch IV
To:	Flores R Luminant Generation Co
References
50-445/15-302, 50-446/15-302
Download: ML15177A127 (11)

Text

une 26, 2015

SUBJECT:

COMANCHE PEAK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000445/2015302; 05000446/2015302

Dear Mr. Flores:

On June 23, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on June 4, 2015, with Mr. K. Peters, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on June 23, 2015, with Mr. G. Struble, Operations Training Manager, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that the three applicants for reactor operator licenses, the two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and that two of the upgrade senior reactor applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55.

One upgrade senior reactor operator applicant failed the written portion of the examination. The appropriate licenses have been issued. However, one reactor operator applicant and one upgrade senior reactor operator applicant will have the issuance of their license delayed until any written examination appeals have been reviewed for possible impact on their licensing decisions in accordance with NUREG 1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1, ES-501, Section D.3.c.

There were no post-examination comments submitted by your staff. Enclosure 1 contains the details of this report.

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 NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Vincent G. Gaddy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-445 and 50-446 License Nos. NPF-87 and NPF-89

Enclosure:

NRC Examination Report 05000445/2015302; 05000446/2015302, w/Attachments:

1. Supplemental Information 2. Simulator Fidelity Report

REGION IV==

Dockets: 05000445, 05000446 Licenses: NPF-87, NPF-89 Report: 05000445/2015302; 05000446/201302 Licensee: Luminant Generation Company, LLC Facility: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location: FM-56 Glen Rose, Texas Dates: June 1 through June 23, 2015 Inspectors: C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer M. Bloodgood, Operations Engineer T. Farina, Operations Engineer C. Steely, Operations Engineer Approved by: Vincent G. Gaddy Chief, Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety-1- Enclosure

SUMMARY

ER05000445/2015302; 05000446/2015302; 06/01/2015 - 06/23/2015; the Comanche Peak

Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2.

The 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 licensee on June 8, 2015. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests the week of June 1, 2015.

The license examiners determined that the three applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and two of the upgrade senior reactor applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55. One upgrade senior reactor operator applicant failed the written portion of the examination. The appropriate licenses have been issued. However, one reactor operator applicant and one upgrade senior reactor operator applicant will have the issuance of their license delayed until any written examination appeals have been reviewed for possible impact on their licensing decisions in accordance with NUREG 1021, Revision 9, Supplement 1, ES-501, Section D.3.c.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

None

Licensee-Identified Violations

None

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

NRC examiners reviewed all license applications submitted to ensure each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The examiners also audited two 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 Examination Development

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed integrated examination outlines and draft examinations submitted by the licensee against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC examination team conducted an on-site validation of the operating tests.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

NRC examiners provided outline, draft examination, and post-validation comments to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to examination administration.

NRC examiners determined the written examinations and operating tests initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

.3 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Scope

On June 8, 2015, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examination for all eight applicants, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis and post examination comments to the NRC on June 16, 2015.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all eight applicants the week of June 1, 2015.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

All but one upgrade senior reactor operator applicant passed the written examination and all of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. The final written examinations and post-examination analysis may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment. There were no post-examination comments as indicated in the licensee submittal.

The examination team noted the following generic weakness:

• The ability of senior reactor operator applicants to recognize technical specification requirements that are not applicable in Mode 2.

• On the written examination there were 12 questions missed by 50 percent or more of the applicants, with each question analyzed by the licensee as required by NUREG-1021. All 12 question weaknesses were determined to be knowledge weaknesses. Additionally, an enhancement was made to one written examination question stem prior to incorporation into the licensees written examination bank. Condition Report CR 2015-005230 was written to address both the written and operating test weaknesses.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Scope

The NRC examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed examination security during both the on-site preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with 10 CFR 55.49 and NUREG-1021. 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 preliminary examination results to Messrs. Ken Peters, Site Vice President, and other members of the staff on June 4, 2015. A telephonic exit was conducted on June 23, 2015, between Messrs. C. Osterholtz, Chief Examiner, and G. Struble, Operations Training Manager.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

K. Peters, Site Vice President

D. Basinger, Examination Development

R. Blankenship, Examination Development

D. Butler, Initial Training Coordinator

D. Cox, Initial License Class Instructor

J. Dreyfuss, Plant Manager

A. Marzloff, Shift Operations Manager

C. Rice, Initial Licensed Operator Training Supervisor

J. Ruby, Examination Development

B. St. Louis, Director, Nuclear Training

S. Sewell, Director, Organization Effectiveness

G. Struble, Operations Training Manager

NRC Personnel

J. Josey, Senior Resident Inspector