IR 05000482/2009301

Er 05000482-09-301; August 31 - October 2, 2009; Wolf Creek Generating Station; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML092960606
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	10/20/2009
From:	Ryan Lantz Operations Branch IV
To:	Muench R Wolf Creek
References
50-482/09-301 50-482/09-301
Download: ML092960606 (10)

Text

UNITED STATES NUC LE AR RE G UL AT O RY C O M M I S S I O N ber 20, 2009

SUBJECT:

WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000482/2009301

Dear Mr. Muench:

On September 3, 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at Wolf Creek Generating Station. The enclosed report documents the examination findings and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination findings were discussed on September 3, 2009, with Mr. Matt Sunseri, Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on October 2, 2009, with Ms. Mona Guyer, Superintendent Operations Training, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. 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 no post-examination comments submitted by your staff. The enclosure to this letter contains the details of this report.

No findings of significance were identified during this examination. 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/

Ryan E. Lantz, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp. -2-Docket: 50-482 License: NPF-42

Enclosure:

NRC Examination Report 05000482/2009301

REGION IV==

Docket: 50-482 License: NPF-42 Report: 05000482/2009301 Licensee: Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation Facility Wolf Creek Generating Station Location: 1550 Oxen Lane NE Burlington, Kansas Dates: August 31 -- October 2, 2009 Inspectors: G. Apger, Chief Examiner B. Larson, Senior Operations Engineer J. Drake, Senior Reactor Inspector Approved By: Ryan Lantz, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety-1- Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER05000482/2009301; August 31 - October 2, 2009; Wolf Creek Generating Station; Initial

Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Wolf Creek Generating Station.

The licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The written examination was administered by the licensee on August 26, 2009. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on August 31 - September 3, 2009.

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

No findings of significance were identified.

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. The 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 of significance 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 onsite 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 that 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 August 26, 2009, 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 September 3, 2009.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all six applicants on August 31 - September 3, 2009.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

Five applicants passed all parts of the operating test. One of the applicants failed the simulator portion of the operating test. All of the applicants passed the written examination. 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 the following generic weaknesses:

• Recently installed vent valves could not be located by any applicant without consulting the computer system.

• Flanges that are used for Turbine-Driven Auxiliary Feed Pump venting could not be located by some applicants. Some applicants did not know what was contained in the emergency operating procedure lockers.

• Verbatim repeat-back of all notes and precautions by all board operators during performance of Emergency Operating Procedures and Off-normal Procedures had the potential to delay procedure performance beyond the times assumed in the Final Safety Analysis Report.

.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 of significance were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed examination security during both the onsite 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 of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. Matt Sunseri, Plant Manager, Ms. Mona Guyer, Superintendent Operations Training, and other members of the staff on September 3, 2009. A telephonic exit was conducted on October 2, 2009, between Mr. Gabriel Apger, Chief Examiner, and Ms. Mona Guyer, Superintendent Operations Training.

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

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

Rick Murray, Training

Lucille Rockers, Licensing

NRC Personnel

Chris Long, Resident Inspector