IR 05000528/2010301

Er 05000528-10-301; 05000529-10-301; 05000530-10-301; November 5-17, 2010; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML103560866
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	12/22/2010
From:	Mark Haire Operations Branch IV
To:	Edington R Arizona Public Service Co
References
50-528/10-301, 50-529/10-301, 50-530/10-301
Download: ML103560866 (11)

Text

UNITED STATES NUC LE AR RE G UL AT O RY C O M M I S S I O N ber 22, 2010

SUBJECT:

PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 -

NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000528/2010301; 05000529/2010301; 05000530/2010301

Dear Mr. Edington:

On November 12, 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on November 12, 2010, with Mr. Dwight Mims, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Plant Improvement, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on November 17, 2010, with Mr. Warren Potter, Simulator Supervisor, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of eight applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all of the 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 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/

Mark S. Haire, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

Arizona Public Service Company -2-Dockets: 50-528; 50-529; 50-530 Licenses: NPF-41; NPF-51; NPF-74

Enclosure:

NRC Examination Report 05000528/2010301; 05000529/2010301; 05000530/2010301

REGION IV==

Dockets: 50-528, 50-529, 50-530 Licenses: NPF-41, NPF-51, NPF-74 Report: 05000528/2010301; 05000529/2010301; 05000530/2010301 Licensee: Arizona Public Service Company Facility: Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 Location: 5951 S. Wintersburg Road Tonopah, Arizona Dates: November 5-17, 2010 Inspectors: B. Larson, Senior Operations Engineer S. Garchow, Senior Operations Engineer C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer G. Apger, Operations Engineer C. Steely, Operations Engineer S. Hedger, Operations Engineer Approved By: Mark S. Haire, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety-1- Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER05000528/2010301; 05000529/2010301; 05000530/2010301; November 5-17, 2010;

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of eight applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.

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 November 5, 2010. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on November 8 - 12, 2010.

The examiners determined that all 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 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 five 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

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

No findings were identified.

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 November 5, 2010, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all sixteen applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on November 17, 2010.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all sixteen applicants on November 8-12, 2010.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

All of the applicants passed the written examination and all parts of the operating test.

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.

.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 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 were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Messrs. Joe Waid, Director, Training, Louis Cortopassi, Plant Manager, William Hettel, Director, Operations, and other members of the staff on November 12, 2010. A telephonic exit was conducted on November 17, 2010, between Messrs. Brian Larson, Chief Examiner, and Warren Potter, Simulator Supervisor.

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

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

Warren Potter, Simulator Support Section Leader

Peter McSparran, Operations Training Department Leader

NRC Personnel

Joseph Bashore, Senior Resident Inspector

Mica Baquera, Resident Inspector