IR 05000482/2006301
| ML060940318 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 04/03/2006 |
| From: | Gody A Operations Branch IV |
| To: | Muench R Wolf Creek |
| References | |
| ER-06-301 | |
| Download: ML060940318 (13) | |
Text
ril 3, 2006
SUBJECT:
Wolf Creek Generating Station - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000482/2006301
Dear Mr. Munench:
On March 9, 2006, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Wolf Creek Generating Station. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on March 10, 2006, with Mr. Matthew Sunseri, Vice President Oversight, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior operator licenses and one applicant for upgrade senior operator license. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021,
"Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9. The license examiners determined that all six of the applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
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 NRCs document 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/ REL for Anthony T. Gody, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket: 50-482 License: NPF-42
Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation -2-
Enclosure:
NRC Examination Report 05000482/2006301 w/Attachments: Supplemental Information
REGION IV==
Dockets: 50-482 Licenses: NPF-42 Report : 05000482/2006301 Licensee: Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation Facility: Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station Location: P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839 Dates: March 3-9, 2006 Inspectors: J. F. Drake, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch T. O. McKernon, Senior Operations Engineer, Operations Branch M. S. Haire, Enforcement Specialist, Allegation Coordination/Enforcement Staff Approved By: Anthony T. Gody, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety-1- Enclosure
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000482/2006301; 03/03-09/2006; Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station; Initial Operator
Licensing Examination Report.
NRC examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior operator licenses and one applicant for upgrade senior operator license at Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9. The written examination was administered by the facility on March 3, 2006. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on March 6-9, 2006. The license examiners determined that all six of the 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
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
The examiners reviewed six license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, Personal Qualification Statement, and NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee. 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 of significance were identified.
.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance
a. Examination Scope
On March 3, 2006, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all six applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on March 10, 2006.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all six applicants on March 6-9, 2006. The three applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks and an administrative test consisting of 4 administrative tasks. The two applicants seeking an instant senior operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 10 system tasks and an administrative test consisting of 5 administrative tasks. The one applicant for upgrade senior operator license participated in one dynamic simulator scenario, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.
b. Findings
All six of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. All six of the applicants passed the written examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 88.43 percent and ranged from 88 to 89.3 percent, the senior operator applicants average score was 94.67 percent and ranged from 92 to 98
percent. The overall written examination average was 91.55 percent. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in Attachment 1 to this report.
Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG-1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis for five questions that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner on March 10, 2006.
This analysis concluded that one of the questions (SRO Exam Question 87) had two correct answers, the other questions were valid and remediation of the applicants was conducted.
Question 87: Missed by two of three SRO candidates Which ONE
- (1) of the following describes ONLY reactor trip instrumentation with setpoints designed to prevent Departure From Nucleate Boiling? (DNB)
A.
Reactor Coolant Flow and Overpower Delta T.
B.
RCP Bus Undervoltage and Overtemperature Delta T.
C.
Overtemperature Delta T and Overpower Delta T.
D.
Power Range High Neutron Flux and Reactor Coolant Flow.
Proposed Answer:
B. RCP Bus Undervoltage and Overtemperature Delta T.
Facility Response:
Answer D," Power range high neutron flux and reactor coolant flow is also a correct answer. Reactor coolant flow is an obvious DNB protection, and power range high neutron flow, according to T/S Bases, 3.3.1, page 3.3.1-9, The Power Range Neutron Flux - High trip Function ensures that protection is provided, from all power levels, against a positive reactivity excursion leading to DNB during power operations.
It was not noted during the validation process of the question that D was also a correct answer. Recommend accepting answers B and D as correct. References provided.
NRC Response:
The staff reviewed the references and concurs with the licensee's recommendation to accept B and D as correct answers to Question 87.
.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development
a. Examination Scope
The licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 9.
All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on November 4, 2005. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 9, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on January 9, 2006. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 9, and provided comments to the licensee on the examination on February 2, 2006. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of February 13, 2006. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on February 22, 2006.
b. Findings
The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.
The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
No findings of significance were identified.
.4 Simulation Facility Performance
a. Examination Scope
The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
.5 Examination Security
a. Examination Scope
The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
b. Findings
No findings of significance were identified.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
The chief examiner presented the examination results to Mr. Matthew Sunseri, Vice President Oversight, and other members of the licensee's management staff on March 10, 2006. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
Matthew Sunseri, Vice President Oversight
Mona Guyer, Operations Training Manager
Steve Falley, Training Supervisor
Rick Hubbard, Operations Supervisor, Training
Steve Henry, Operations Supervisor
Robert Acree, Nuclear Training Instructor
Eddie Ray, Operations Manager
Bill Muilenburg, Licensing Engineer
NRC Personnel
Travis Rhoades, Resident Inspector