IR 05000456/2013301
| ML13140A342 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Braidwood  |
| Issue date: | 05/20/2013 |
| From: | Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III |
| To: | Pacilio M Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear |
| Charles Zioa | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML12285A169 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-456/13-301, 50-457/13-301 | |
| Download: ML13140A342 (12) | |
Text
May 20, 2013
SUBJECT:
BRAIDWOOD STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2; NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000456/2013301; 05000457/2013301
Dear Mr. Pacilio:
On April 11, 2013, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations.
Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on April 4, 2013, with Mr. M. Kanavos and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on April 15, 2013, between Mr. D. Stiles of your staff and Mr. C. Zoia, Operations Engineer, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. There were no post-exam comments for this exam.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the weeks of March 25 and April 1, 2013. The written examination was administered by Braidwood Station training department personnel on April 5, 2013. Nine Senior Reactor Operator and four Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on May 6, 2013. Thirteen applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations; nine were issued senior operator licenses and four were issued operator licenses.
The written examination will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months per your request.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 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 System (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 by D. McNeil for/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos. 50-456; 50-457 License Nos. NPF-72; NPF-77
Enclosures:
1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000456/2013301; 05000457/2013301; w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report
REGION III==
Docket Nos:
50-456; 50-457 License Nos:
Report No:
05000456/2013301; 05000457/2013301 Licensee:
Exelon Generation Company, LLC Facility:
Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2 Location:
Braidwood, IL Dates:
March 25, 2013, through April 11, 2013 Inspectors:
C. Zoia, Operations Engineer
D. Reeser, Operations Engineer
C. Moore, Operations Engineer
Approved by:
H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosure 1
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000456/2013301; 05000457/2013301; 03/25/2013 - 04/11/2013; Exelon Generation
Company, LLC; Braidwood Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial License Examination Report.
The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional Nuclear Regulatory Commission examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021,
Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9 - Supplement 1.
Examination Summary Thirteen applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Nine were issued Senior Operator licenses and four were issued Operator licenses. (Section 4OA5.1)
REPORT DETAILS
4OA5 Other Activities
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Examination Scope
The NRC examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9-Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of February 25, 2013, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures (JPMs) and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of March 25, 2013, through April 4, 2013.
The facility licensee administered the written examination on April 5, 2013.
b. Findings
- (1) Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
Less than 20 percent of the proposed examination questions were determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement. All changes made to the proposed written examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet, which is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).
On April 11, 2013, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination.
The NRC examiners graded the written examination on April 15, 2013, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.
- (2) Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
Changes made to the operating test, documented in a document titled, Operating Test Comments, as well as the final as-administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, are available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS.
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on May 6, 2013.
- (3) Examination Results Nine applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator level and four applicants at the Reactor Operator level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Thirteen applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses.
.2 Examination Security
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed and observed the licensee's implementation of examination security requirements during the examination validation and administration to assure compliance with Title10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests. The examiners used the guidelines provided in NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, to determine acceptability of the licensees examination security activities.
b. Findings
No significant findings were identified. However, two minor incidents were identified by the licensee; one prior to and one during exam administration. The first occurred prior to exam validation and involved a non-specific question about the extent of exam overlap allowed between the author of the certification exam and the author of the NRC exam.
No exam compromise resulted. It was quickly recognized, however, to be in conflict with the licensees process of having the certification exam be independent from the NRC exam. The discussion was disclosed, discussed with the NRC Chief Examiner, and documented in Action Request (AR) 01481275.
The second incident occurred between two simulator scenarios during the NRC exam.
A Sequence of Events Recorder printout from the previous set was inadvertently left out, face down, on a desk where turnover for the oncoming crew was taking place.
The material was identified by an applicant, who recognized that material on white paper was left on the desk, and slid it over to an NRC examiner standing nearby.
No exam compromise occurred. The applicant did not read the material in accordance with the exam security policy to only view material on yellow paper during this exam.
The incident was reviewed by the Training Director in a meeting with instructors as a near-miss incident, and documented on AR 01355926-22, OPEX reviews.
4OA6 Management Meetings
.1 Debrief
The Chief Examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on April 4, 2013, to Mr. M. Kanavos and other members of the Braidwood Station Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The Chief Examiner conducted an exit meeting on April 15, 2013, with Mr. D. Stiles, Training Director, by telephone. The examiners asked the licensee whether any of the material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- M. Kanavos, Plant Manager
- R. Stopka, Shift Operations Superintendent
- A. Trespalacios, Operations Support Manager
- D. Stiles, Training Director
- K. Dovas, Operations Training Manager
- P. Moodie, Operations Department
- K. Norris, Training Instructor (Exam Author)
NRC
- J. Benjamin, Senior Resident Inspector
- C. Zoia, Operations Engineer
- D. Reeser, Operations Engineer
- C. Moore, Operations Engineer
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened/Closed
None