IR 05000461/2023301
| ML23254A195 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Clinton  |
| Issue date: | 09/12/2023 |
| From: | April Nguyen NRC/RGN-III/DORS/OB |
| To: | Rhoades D Constellation Energy Generation, Constellation Nuclear |
| Wingfield T. | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML22007A096 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML23254A195 (1) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
CLINTON POWER STATION NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000461/2023301
Dear David Rhoades:
On August 1, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Clinton Power Station. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on July 19, 2023, with Matt Beeler and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on August 24, 2023, between John Kowalski of your staff and Ted Wingfield, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. The NRC also confirmed that the station submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration during NRC grading of the examination.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of July 17, 2023. The written examination was administered by Clinton Power Station training department personnel on July 26, 2023. Three Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on August 22, 2023. All six applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Three applicants were issued senior operator licenses and three were issued operator licenses.
The administered written examination and operating test, as well as documents related to the development and review (outlines, review comments and resolution, etc.) of the examination will be withheld from public disclosure until August 1, 2025.
September 12, 2023 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 Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, April M. Nguyen, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-461 License No. NPF-62 Enclosure:
1. Examination Report 05000461/2023301 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: Distribution via LISTSERV A. Corrigan, Director - Site Training, Clinton Power Station Signed by Nguyen, April on 09/12/23
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000461/2023301(DORS); 07/17/2023-08/01/2023; Constellation Energy Generation, LLC;
Clinton Power Station; Initial License Examination Report.
The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional U.S. NRC examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 12.
Examination Summary:
Six applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Three applicants were issued senior operator licenses and three applicants 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 12, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. The written examination outlines were prepared by the NRC staff and were transmitted to the facility licensees staff. Members of the facility licensees staff developed the operating test outlines and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of June 5, 2023, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited one reactor operator and two senior reactor operator 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 and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of July 17, 2023, through July 19, 2023. The facility licensee administered the written examination on July 26, 2023.
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 2.3-5, Written Examination Review Worksheet. The Form 2.3-5, the written examination outlines (Form 4.1-BWR Boiling-Water Reactor Examination Outline and Form 4.1-COMMON Common Examination Outline), and both the proposed and final written examinations, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) on August 1, 2025, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML22007A094, ML22007092, ML22007A089, and ML22007A098 respectively).
On August 1, 2023, 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 August 2, 2023, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions. No generic weaknesses were identified.
- (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.
Less than 20 percent of the proposed operating test portion of the examination was determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.
Changes made to the operating test portion of the examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form 2.3-3, Operating Test Review Worksheet. The Form 2.3-3, the operating test outlines (Form 3.2-1 Administrative Topics Outline, Form 3.2-2 Control Room and In-Plant Systems Outline, and Form 3.3-1 Scenario Outlines),and both the proposed and final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS on August 1, 2025, (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML22007A094, ML22007092, ML22007A089, and ML22007A098 respectively).
The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on August 16, 2023. No generic weaknesses were identified.
- (3) Examination Results Three applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Six applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses on August 22, 2023.
.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
None.
4OA6 Meetings
.1 Debrief
The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on July 19, 2023, to Matt Beeler and other members of the Clinton Power Station Operations and Training Department staff.
.2 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on August 24, 2023, with John Kowalski, Site Vice President by telephone. The NRCs final disposition of the stations grading of the written examination was discussed during the telephone discussion. The chief examiner asked the licensee whether any of the retained submitted 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
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- J. Kowalski, Site Vice President
- N. Plumey, Plant Manager
- D. Livingston, Regulatory Assurance Manager
- A. Corrigan, Director, Site Training
- D. Wells, Training Manager
- B. Franzen, Operations Director
- C. Miller, Regulatory Assurance
- M. Beeler, Senior Training Instructor, Examination Author
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- T. Wingfield, Chief Examiner
- T. Iskierka-Boggs, Senior Examiner
- T. Henning, Examiner
- C. Hunt, Senior Resident Inspector, Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station
- J. Steward, Senior Resident Inspector
- A. Muneeruddin, Resident Inspector
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None
LIST OF ACRONYMS USED
Agencywide Document Access and Management System
NRC
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT
Facility Licensee:
Clinton Power Station
Facility Docket No:
50-461
Operating Tests Administered:
July 17, 2023, through July 19, 2023
The following documents observations made by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
examination team during the initial operator license examination. These observations do not
constitute audit or inspection findings and are not, without further verification and review,
indicative of non-compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 55.45(b).
These observations do not affect U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission certification or approval
of the simulation facility other than to provide information which may be used in future
evaluations. No licensee action is required in response to these observations.
During the conduct of the simulator portion of the operating tests, the following items were
observed:
ITEM
DESCRIPTION
None
N/A