IR 05000445/2023301

NRC Examination Report 05000445/2023301 and 05000446/2023301

ML23228A112
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	08/21/2023
From:	Heather Gepford NRC/RGN-IV/DORS/OB
To:	Peters K Vistra Operations Company
References
IR 2023301
Download: ML23228A112 (1)

Text

August 21, 2023

SUBJECT:

COMANCHE PEAK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000445/2023301 AND 05000446/2023301

Dear Mr. Peters:

On June 15, 2023, 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, 2023, with you and other members of your staff. A telephonic meeting was conducted on July 24, 2023, with Mr. K. Brigman, Regulatory Affairs and Licensing Analyst, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions. A final telephonic exit meeting was held on August 15, 2023.

The examination included the evaluation of eight applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license. The license examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued. There were no post-examination comments submitted by your staff. The enclosure contains details of this report.

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, Signed by Gepford, Heather on 08/21/23 Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-445; 50-446 License Nos. NPF-87; NPF-89 Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000445/2023301, and 05000446/2023301 w/attachment: Supplemental Information Distribution via LISTSERV

ML23228A112 SUNSI Review ADAMS Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Keyword:

by: KDC1 Yes No Non-Publicly Available Sensitive NRR-079 OFFICE RIV:DORS:OB:SOE RIV:DORS:OB:SOE RIV:DORS:OB:SOE RI:DORS:OB:SOE NAME KClayton TFarina JKirkland JDemarshall SIGNATURE /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/

DATE 08/16/23 08/21/23 08/16/23 08/16/23 OFFICE RIV:DORS:OB:OE RIV:DORS:OB:C NAME KMurphy HGepford SIGNATURE /RA/ /RA/

DATE 08/16/23 08/21/23

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Examination Report Docket Numbers: 05000445, 05000446 License Numbers: NPF-87, NPF-89 Report Numbers: 05000445/2023301, 05000446/2023301 Enterprise Identifier: L-2023-OLL-0030 Licensee: Vistra Operations Company, LLC Facility: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 Location: Glen Rose, Texas Inspection Dates: January 9, 2023, to June 15, 2023 Inspectors: K. Clayton, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer J. Kirkland, Senior Operations Engineer J. DeMarshall, Senior Operations Engineer T. Farina, Senior Operations Engineer K. Murphy, Operations Engineer Russell Williams, Operations Engineer Under Instruction Approved By: Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Enclosure

SUMMARY Examination Report 05000445/2023301 and 05000446/2023301; 01/09/2023 - 06/15/2023; Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of eight applicants for reactor operator licenses, four 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 NRC developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the licensee on June 22, 2023. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on June 12-15, 2023.

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

A. NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings None.

B. Licensee-Identified Violations None.

REPORT DETAILS OTHER ACTIVITIES - INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION

.1 License Applications a. Scope The NRC examiners reviewed all license applications submitted to ensure each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The NRC 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 The NRC examiners developed the outlines, operating tests, and written examinations using the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 12. The NRC examiners conducted onsite development during the week of January 9, 2023, and onsite validation of the operating tests the week of May 15, 2023. Four complete written examination validations were completed by the licensee in April and May of 2023.

b. Findings The NRC examiners provided draft examination and post-validation comments to the licensee. All comments were satisfactorily resolved between the licensee and NRC on June 8, 2023. There were several procedural enhancement opportunities that were identified during exam development. These procedure enhancements were captured in the licensees corrective action program as issue report IR-2023-004917.

.3 Operator Knowledge and Performance a. Scope On June 22, 2023, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all thirteen applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on July 12, 2023. The NRC completed two independent gradings of the written examinations on July 14, 2023.

The NRC examination team administered the operating tests to all applicants on June 12-15, 2023.

Attachment

b. Findings No findings were identified.

All applicants passed the written examination and all parts of the operating tests. 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 no generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the operating tests. Post-examination analysis revealed four generic knowledge weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examination. The weaknesses were on SRO-only questions Q79, Q82, Q92, and Q97 and are documented in the post exam submittal analysis under the accession number located at the end of this report. These deficiencies were captured in the licensees corrective action program as training report TR-2023-004917. Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility training manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training.

.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 for examination development during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with 10 CFR 55.49 and NUREG-1021. Plans for examination security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings No findings were identified.

EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS Exit Meeting Summary The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. S. Sewell, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff on June 15, 2023. A telephonic call to issue licenses was conducted on July 24, 2023, between Mr. K. Brigman, and Mr. K. Clayton, chief examiner.

The final exit meeting was conducted on August 15, 2023, with Mr. S. Sewell, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED Accession No. ML23226A227 - FINAL WRITTEN EXAMS Accession No. ML23226A226 - FINAL OPERATING TEST Accession No. ML23226A234 - POST-EXAMINATION ANALYSIS 3