IR 05000528/2023301
| ML23152A075 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 06/05/2023 |
| From: | Heather Gepford NRC/RGN-IV/DORS/OB |
| To: | Heflin A Arizona Public Service Co |
| References | |
| IR 2023001 | |
| Download: ML23152A075 (8) | |
Text
June 05, 2023
SUBJECT:
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000528/2023301; 05000529/2023301; 05000530/2023301
Dear Adam Heflin:
On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at your 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 May 4, 2023, with Mr. B. Cable, Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on May 25, 2023, with Ms. L. Weaver, Compliance Section Leader, Regulatory Affairs, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.
The examination included the evaluation of seven 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 12 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. 05000528, 05000529, and 05000530 License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, NPF-74 Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000528/2023301, 05000529/2023301, and 05000530/2023301 Electronic distribution via LISTSERV Signed by Gepford, Heather on 06/05/23
ML23152A075 SUNSI Review:
ADAMS:
Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Keyword:
By: TJF Yes No Publicly Available Sensitive NRR-079 OFFICE OB:SOE OB:SOE OB:SOE OB:OE OB:OE PBA:SRI NAME TFarina COsterholtz JKirkland NHernandez DYou MHayes SIGNATURE TJF
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DATE 06/01/23 06/01/23 06/05/23 06/01/23 06/01/23 06/01/23 OFFICE C:OB NAME HGepford SIGNATURE
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DATE 06/05/23
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Inspection Report
Docket Numbers:
05000528, 05000529, 05000530
License Numbers:
Report Numbers:
05000528/202330; 05000529/2023301; 05000530/2023301
Enterprise Identifier:
Licensee:
Arizona Public Service Company
Facility:
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
Location:
Tonopah, Arizona
Inspection Dates:
May 2, 2023 to May 25, 2023
Inspectors:
T. Farina, Senior Operations Engineer (Chief Examiner)
C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer
J. Kirkland, Senior Operations Engineer
M. Hayes, Senior Resident Inspector
N. Hernandez, Operations Engineer
D. You, Operations Engineer
Approved By:
Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
Examination Report 05000528/202330, 05000529/2023301, 05000530/2023301; Palo Verde
Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report
The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of seven applicants for reactor operator
licenses, one applicant for instant senior reactor operator license, and four 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 12. The written examination was
administered by the licensee on May 11, 2023. The NRC examiners administered the operating
tests on May 2-4, 2023.
The NRC examiners determined that all 12 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 May 11, 2023, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations
to all 12 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the
results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on May 18, 2023.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to
all applicants on May 2-4, 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.
The examination team noted two generic weaknesses associated with applicant
performance on the simulator job performance measures section of the operating tests.
The applicants displayed a weakness responding to an inadvertent containment spray
actuation signal (CSAS) and responding to a loss of stator cooling water. Post-
examination analysis revealed five generic weaknesses associated with applicant
performance on the written examination; specifically, the following questions had a miss
rate exceeding 50 percent: 25, 29, 84, 92, and 94. These deficiencies were captured in
the licensees corrective action program as Condition Reports 21-14266 and 23-05722.
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 on May 4, 2023, to Mr. B.
Cable, Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was
conducted on May 25, 2023, between Mr. T. Farina, chief examiner, and Ms. L. Weaver,
Compliance Section Leader, Regulatory Affairs. The licensee did not identify any information or
materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED
Accession No. ML23143A209 - FINAL WRITTEN EXAMS
Accession No. ML23143A210 - FINAL OPERATING TEST
Accession No. ML23145A277 - POST-EXAMINATION ANALYSIS