IR 05000482/2021301

NRC Examination Report 05000482/2021301

ML22018A312
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	01/19/2022
From:	Heather Gepford NRC Region 4
To:	Reasoner C Wolf Creek
References
50-482/21-301 50-482/21-OL
Download: ML22018A312 (9)

Text

January 19, 2022

SUBJECT:

WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000482/2021301

Dear Mr. Reasoner:

On December 7, 2021, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at your Wolf Creek Generating Station. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on November 4, 2021, with Mr. E. Martinson, Director of Maintenance, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on December 7, 2021, with Mr. B. Bayer, Plant Manager, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, one applicant for instant senior reactor operator license and four applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all 10 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, Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 05000482 License No. NPF-42

Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000482/2021301 w/attachment: Supplemental Information

Inspection Report

Docket Number:

05000482

License Number:

NPF-42

Report Number:

05000482/2021301

Enterprise Identifier:

05000482/L-2021-OLL-0018

Licensee:

Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation

Facility:

Wolf Creek Generating Station

Location:

Burlington, Kansas

Inspection Dates:

November 1, 2021, to December 7, 2021

Inspectors:

C. Osterholtz, Sr. Operations Engineer (Chief)

M. Doyle, Operations Engineer (Chief Under Instruction)

T. Farina, Sr. Operations Engineer

J. Kirkland, Sr. Operations Engineer

Approved By:

Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D.

Chief, Operations Branch

Division of Reactor Safety

SUMMARY

Examination Report 05000482/2021301; Wolf Creek Generating Station; Initial Operator

Licensing Examination Report The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, one applicant for instant senior reactor operator license, and four 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 11. The written examination was administered by the licensee on October 27, 2021. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on November 1-4, 2021.

The NRC examiners determined that all 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

- 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 reviewed integrated examination outlines and draft examinations submitted by the licensee against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC examiners conducted an onsite validation of the operating tests.

b. Findings

The NRC examiners provided outline, draft examination, and post-validation comments to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to examination administration.

The NRC examiners determined 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 October 27, 2021, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on November 4, 2021.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants on November 1-4, 2021.

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 two generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the administrative job performance measures section and simulator section of the operating tests. The applicants displayed a weakness in reviewing clearance orders by the senior reactor operators and operating the rod control system to realign a misaligned control rod. Post-examination analysis revealed four generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examination.

Specifically, applicants displayed weakness on the following topics:

Responding to an inadvertent actuation of auxiliary feedwater

Knowledge of system precautions, and limitations for performing a waste gas decay tank release

Ability to operate or monitor the alternating current distribution system as it applies to safety injection termination

Ability to predict reactivity changes using normal operating procedures.

These deficiencies were captured in the licensees corrective action program as Condition Report(s) 10010317, 10010327, and 10010325. 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

Mr. M. Doyle, Chief Examiner Under Instruction, presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. E. Martinson, Director of Maintenance, and other members of the staff on November 4, 2021. A telephonic exit was conducted on December 7, 2021, between Mr. M. Doyle and Mr. B.

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

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

B.J. Bayer, Plant Manager

Eric Martinson, Director of Maintenance

Eric Carlson, Operations Director

Dan Bowers, Training Director

Ron Benham, Director of Nuclear Regulatory Affairs

James Knapp, Operations Training Manager

Josh Turner, Regulatory Affairs Manager

Jeff Isch, Superintendent Operations

Tim Dunlop, Operations Superintendent Training

Tim Slenker, Superintendent Operations

Jon Weber, Operations Shift Manager

Michelle Meyer, Operations Training LOR LSI

Jack Myers, LSI Initial

Andy Servaes, Exam Author

Josh Bousum, Exam Author

NRC Personnel

C. Henderson, Senior Resident Inspector