IR 05000498/2020301

NRC Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000498/2020301 and 05000499/2020301

ML20288A602
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	10/19/2020
From:	Greg Werner Operations Branch IV
To:	Gerry Powell South Texas
References
ER 2020301
Download: ML20288A602 (11)

Text

October 19, 2020

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT ELECTRIC GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000498/2020301 AND 05000499/2020301

Dear Mr. Powell:

On July 20, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on July 24, 2020, with Mr. Schaefer, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on September 24, 2020, with Mr. W. Markham, License Training Instructor, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of 5 applicants for reactor operator licenses, 8 applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and 3 applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that 11 of the 16 applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55 and the appropriate licenses have been issued. There were 3 post-examination comments submitted by your staff. Enclosure 1 contains details of this report and Enclosure 2 summarizes post-examination comment resolution.

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, Gregory E. Werner Gregory E. Werner, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 05000498 and 05000499 License Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80

Enclosures:

1. Examination Report 05000498/2020301 and 05000499/2020301 w/attachment: Supplemental Information 2. NRC Post-Examination Comment Resolution

Inspection Report

Docket Numbers: 05000498, 05000499 License Numbers: NPF-76, NPF-80 Report Numbers: 05000498/2020301 and 05000499/2020301 Enterprise Identifier: L-2020-OLL-0018 Licensee: STP Nuclear Operating Company Facility: South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 Location: Wadsworth, Texas Inspection Dates: June 8, 2020, to September 24, 2020 Inspectors: K. Clayton, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer T. Farina, Senior Operations Engineer M. Hayes, Operations Engineer M. Bloodgood, Nuclear Systems Engineer J. Drake, Senior Reactor Inspector Approved By: Gregory E. Werner, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY

Examination Report 05000498/2020301 and 05000499/2020301; 07/13 - 09/24/2020; South

Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination.

The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of five applicants for reactor operator licenses, eight applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three 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 11. The written examination was administered by the licensee on July 29, 2020. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on July 13-20, 2020.

The NRC examiners determined that 11 of the 16 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 EXAM

.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 July 29, 2020, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 16 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis and post-examination comments to the NRC on August 13, 2020.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants from July 13-July 20, 2020.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

All applicants passed all parts of the operating test and 11 of 16 applicants passed the written examination. The final examinations and post-examination analysis and comments may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.

The examination team noted six generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the operating tests. These are listed below:

1) Eleven of sixteen applicants missed a subcooling margin administrative job performance measure. The equation to do the calculation is not in the procedure. It is considered skill of the craft by licensee.

2) Two of four crews struggled with recognition/diagnosis of a dropped rod event during a scenario.

3) Two of four crews struggled with recognition/diagnosis of an ejected rod during a scenario.

4) Four of four crews were slow to diagnose a steam leak with a steam generator tube rupture during a scenario.

5) Three of four crews attempted to close the emergency diesel generator output breaker to re-energize an isolated and locked out bus during a scenario.

6) Two of three crews struggled to diagnose recirculation valve performance during a charging pump shaft shear event during a scenario.

The licensee generated Condition Reports CR 20-7873 and CR 20-8347 to address these operating test performance generic weaknesses.

Post-examination analysis revealed eight generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examination. These are discussed below:

1) Q12 - 56 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was valves that receive a phase A signal or safety injection signal 2) Q20 - 50 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was the master relay defeat switch 3) Q46 - 63 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was loss of instrument air effects on charging 4) Q69 - 50 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was entry conditions for technical specifications for refueling water storage tank level 5) Q74 - 50 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was design requirements of auxiliary feedwater 6) Q81 - 64 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was key control for locked high radiation areas (technical specifications)7) Q90 - 64 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was inoperable offsite sources during grid disturbance (technical specifications)8) Q100 - 73 percent missed it due to applicant knowledge weakness and the topic was in-service testing requirements The licensee generated Condition Report CR 20-8347 to address these written examination performance generic weaknesses. Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility training manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training. Additionally, there were 3 post examination comments submitted by the licensee and they are discussed briefly in Enclosure 2. There is also a complete text of the licensee's post-examination analysis and comments located in ADAMS under Accession Number ML20282A517.

.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. However, there were a few malfunctions used in the scenarios that contained erroneous failures that were not seen during validation. These issues were all evaluated with Condition Report CR-20-7888.

.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 simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

Findings Four exam security issues were identified by the licensee and were all assessed as minor. Corrective actions to restore compliance are complete and no exam compromises occurred. The corrective actions include Condition Reports CR 19-13973, CR 20-5960, CR 20-6293, and CR-20-6295.

EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS

Exit Meeting Summary

The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. Schaefer, Site Vice President, and other members of the staff on July 24, 2020. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on September 24, 2020, with Mr. W. Markham, License Training Instructor, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

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

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

M. Schaefer, Site Vice President

J. Tomlinson, Operations Manager

B. Simpson, Operations Training Manager

G. Hildebrandt, Training Manager

L. Sterling, Regulatory Affairs Manager

D. Breland, Operations Training Supervisor

W. Brost, Engineering Staff Licensing

S. Mason, License Training Instructor

W. Markham, License Training Instructor

NRC Personnel

C. Stott, Resident Inspector