IR 05000498/2023301

NRC Examination Report 05000498/2023301 and 05000499/2023301

ML23242A184
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	09/01/2023
From:	Heather Gepford NRC/RGN-IV/DORS/OB
To:	Gerry Powell South Texas
References
50-498/23-301, 50-499/23-301 50-498/OL-23, 50-499/OL-23
Download: ML23242A184 (1)

Text

August 31, 2023

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT ELECTRIC GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000498/2023301 AND 05000499/2023301

Dear G. T. Powell:

On August 30, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2.

The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on July 20, 2023, with Chancey Pence, Plant General Manager, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on August 30, 2023, with Joey Trudeau, Supervisor - Operations Initial Training, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all 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 Operating Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 05000498, 05000499 License Nos. NPF-76, NPF-80 Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000498/2023301, and 05000499/2023301 Electronic distribution via LISTSERV Signed by Gepford, Heather on 08/31/23

ML23242A184 SUNSI Review: ADAMS: Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Keyword:

By: JCK Yes No Publicly Available Sensitive NRR-079 OFFICE SOE:DORS/OB SOE:DORS/OB OE:DORS/OB OE:DORS/OB C:DORS/OB NAME JKirkland COsterholtz NHernandez DYou HGepford SIGNATURE /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/

DATE 08/30/23 08/30/23 08/31/23 08/30/23 08/31/23

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Examination Report

Docket Numbers: 05000498, 05000499

License Numbers: NPF-76, NPF-80

Report Numbers: 05000498/2023301, 05000499/2023301

Enterprise Identifier: L-2023-OLL-0035

Licensee: STP Nuclear Operating Company

Facility: South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2

Location: Wadsworth, Texas

Inspection Dates: July 17, 2023, to August 30, 2023

Inspectors: J. Kirkland, Senior Operations Engineer, and Chief Examiner C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer N. Hernandez, Operations Engineer D. You, Operations Engineer

Approved By: Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety

Enclosure SUMMARY

Examination Report 05000498/2023301 AND 05000499/2023301; South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and two applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2.

The licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 12. The written examination was administered by the licensee on August 9, 2023. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on Jul 17 - 20, 2023.

The NRC examiners determined that all applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

A. NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

None.

B. 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 August 9, 2023, 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 August 24, 2023.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants on July 17 - 20, 2023.

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.

Post-examination analysis revealed three generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examination.

6 of 11 applicants were unable to correctly recall the maximum time allowed to reach MODE 3 for the primary to secondary leakage and the leakage change over time and to determine the amount of time it would take to exceed the tech spec limit.

3 of 6 senior reactor operator applicants were unable to determine how annunciator response procedures would be implemented with emergency procedures.

5 of 6 senior reactor operator applicants were unable to recall the basis for the maximum allowable overload setting for the Refueling Machine Hoist

These deficiencies were captured in the licensees corrective action program as condition reports 23-7938, 23-7939, and 23-7940. 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

The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Chancey Pence, Plant General Manager, and other members of your staff on July 20, 2023. A telephonic exit was conducted on August 30, 2023, between John Kirkland, Chief Examiner, and Joey Trudeau, Supervisor - Operations Initial Training. The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED

Accession No. ML23242A037 - Final Written Exams (Withhold from public disclosure until February 6, 2026)

Accession No. ML23242A035 - Final Operating Test (Withhold from public disclosure until February 6, 2026)

Accession No. ML23242A052 - Post-Examination Analysis

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