IR 05000445/2017301

NRC Examination Report 05000445/2017301; 05000446/2017301

ML17192A143
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	07/11/2017
From:	Vincent Gaddy NRC Region 4
To:	Peters K Vistra Operations Company
References
ER 2017301
Download: ML17192A143 (18)

Text

UNITED STATES uly 11, 2017

SUBJECT:

COMANCHE PEAK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000445/2017301; 05000446/2017301

Dear Mr. Peters:

On June 29, 2017, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at 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 15, 2017, with Mr. T. McCool, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on June 29, 2017, with Ms. D. Christiansen, Training Director, 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 one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license. The license examiners determined that five of the six applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55 and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

There were three post examination comments submitted by your staff. Enclosure 1 contains details of this report and Enclosure 2 summarizes post examination comment resolution.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice and Procedure," 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 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

Enclosures:

1. Examination Report 05000445/2017301; 05000446/2017301 w/Attachment:

Supplemental Information 2. NRC Post Examination Comment Resolution

REGION IV==

Docket: 05000445, 05000446 License: NPF-87, NPF-89 Report: 05000445/2017301; 05000446/2017301 Licensee: Vistra Energy Facility: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location: 6322 N. FM-56, Glen Rose, Texas Dates: June 12 through June 29, 2017 Inspectors: J. Kirkland, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer J. Drake, Senior Reactor Inspector Approved By: Vincent G. Gaddy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure

SUMMARY

ER 05000445/2017301; 05000446/2017301; 06/12/2017-06/29/2017; 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 one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license at 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 10, Supplement 1. The written examination was administered by the licensee on June 19, 2017. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on June 12-15, 2017.

The examiners determined that five of the six applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

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. Examiners also audited three 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

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

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 19, 2017, 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 and post examination comments to the NRC on June 26, 2017.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants on June 12-15, 2017.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

Five applicants passed the written examination and all applicants passed all parts of the operating test. The final written examinations and post examination analysis and comments may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.

The examination team noted two generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the administrative job performance measure (JPM) section of the operating tests. The applicants displayed a weakness in calculating reactor coolant system cooldown rates, and in determining whether an operating license was active.

The licensee identified 10 generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examinations. All of the weaknesses were attributed to knowledge weaknesses on the topic.

1. Applicants unfamiliar with remote shutdown panel and train A components (Appendix R)2. Applicants unfamiliar with steam supply to main feed pump turbine at various power levels 3. Applicants had difficulty recalling inverter internal circuitry 4. Applicants did not understand main steamline low pressure isolation logic and associated interlocks 5. Applicants unable to recall specific axis of TDM-401, Reactive Capability Curve for Leading/Lagging Power Factor 6. Applicants unaware of reason for sampling containment sump water following a large-break loss-of-coolant accident with flooding from additional sources 7. Applicants unable to recall technical specification applicability given specific permissive interlocks for pressurizer water level - high, Technical Specification 3.3.3, (Function 9 at power below P-7)8. Applicants failed to correctly apply the Action Statement of Technical Specification 3.2.4, Quadrant Power Tilt Ratio 9. Applicants displayed general weakness in the application of ABN-909, SFP Refueling Cavity Malfunction 10. Applicants unfamiliar with surveillance requirements and technical specification applicability for exceeding Alert Limits during a surveillance Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training.

The licensee generated Issue Report IR-2017-007646 for resolution of all operating test and written examination generic 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

During administration of the operating tests, two simulator deficiencies were identified.

The first issue occurred when the simulator locked up during a scenario when the emulation for the Siemens turbine control system failed. The licensee generated Tracking Report TR-2017-007392 to capture this issue.

The second occurred when there was a momentary fault of the simulator server resulting in an unexpected reactor trip during a JPM involving a dropped rod. The licensee generated issue report IR-2017-007645 to determine the cause of the fault.

.5 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed examination security for examination development 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

Exit Meeting Summary

The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. T. McCool, Site Vice President, and other members of the staff on June 15, 2017. A telephonic exit was conducted on June 29, 2017, between Mr. J. Kirkland, Chief Examiner, and Ms. D. Christiansen, Training Director.

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

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

D. Christiansen, Training Director

J. Lloyd, Operations Support Manager

J. Ruby, Exam Developer

NRC Personnel

J. Josey, Senior Resident Inspector