IR 05000498/2007301
| ML080140605 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | South Texas  |
| Issue date: | 01/11/2008 |
| From: | Ryan Lantz Operations Branch IV |
| To: | Sheppard J South Texas |
| References | |
| 50-498/07-301, 50-499/07-301 | |
| Download: ML080140605 (11) | |
Text
January 11, 2008
SUBJECT:
SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000498/2007301; 05000499/2007301
Dear Mr. Sheppard:
On November 9, 2007, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on November 9, 2007, with Mr. James Mertink, Operations Manager, and other members of your staff.
The examination included the evaluation of 5 applicants for reactor operator licenses, 2 applicants for instant senior operator licenses and 3 applicants for upgrade senior operator licenses. 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 10 of the applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
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
Dockets: 50-498; 50-499 Licenses: NPF-76; NPF-80 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION R E GI ON I V 611 RYAN PLAZA DRIV E, SUITE 400 ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011-4005
STP Nuclear Operating Company
-2-
Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000498/2007301; 05000499/2007301
REGION IV==
Docket:
50-498; 50-499 License:
05000498/2007301, 05000499/2007301 Licensee:
South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company Facility:
South Texas Project Electric Generating Station Location:
FM 521 - 8 miles west of Wadsworth Wadsworth, Texas 77483 Dates:
November 2 - 9, 2007 Inspectors:
B. T. Larson, Chief Examiner, Operations Branch A. Sanchez, Resident Inspector, Projects Branch A B. Tindell, Operations Engineer, Operations Branch Approved By Ryan E. Lantz, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosure
- 2 -
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000498/2007301, 05000499/2007301; 11/02 - 09/2007; South Texas Project Electric
Generating Station; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.
NRC examiners evaluated the competency of 5 applicants for reactor operator licenses, applicants for instant senior operator licenses and 3 applicants for upgrade senior operator licenses at South Texas Project Electric 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 November 2, 2007. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on November 5-9, 2007. The license examiners determined that all 10 of the 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
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
The examiners reviewed all 10 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 November 2, 2007, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 10 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on November 7, 2007.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating test to all 10 applicants on November 5-9, 2007. The 5 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 2 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 3 applicants for upgrade senior operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 5 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of 5 administrative tasks.
b. Findings
All 10 of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. All 10 of the applicants passed the written examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 91.1 percent and ranged from 85.3 to 94.6 percent, the senior operator applicants average score was 90.8 percent and ranged from 83 to 94 percent. The overall written examination average was 90.9 percent. The text of the written examination and operating test, the licensee's examination analysis, and the licensee's post-examination comments are available in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment 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 three questions that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. This analysis concluded that all the questions were valid and remediation of the applicants was conducted.
.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 examination and operating test outlines on April 30, 2007. 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 September 13, 2007. 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 October 4, 2007. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of October 15, 2007. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on October 29, 2007.
b. Findings
The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the examination development.
The examiners determined that the written examination and operating test 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. James Mertink, Operations Manager, and other members of the licensee's management staff on November 9, 2007.
The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
James Mertink, Operations Manager
Greg Janak, Operations
James Calvert, Operations Training Manager
Michael Defrees, Operations Training Supervisor
Kenneth Struble, Operations Training
Adrian Culver, Operations Training
Tom Underwood, Operations Training
NRC Personnel
John Dixon, Senior Resident Inspector