IR 05000528/2024301
| ML24164A297 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 06/17/2024 |
| From: | Heather Gepford NRC/RGN-IV/DORS/OB |
| To: | Heflin A Arizona Public Service Co |
| References | |
| 50-528/24-301, 50-529/24-301, 50-530/24-301 | |
| Download: ML24164A297 (1) | |
Text
June 17, 2024
SUBJECT:
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000528/2024301; 05000529/2024301; 05000530/2024301
Dear Mr. Heflin:
On May 29, 2024, 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 3, 2024, with Mr. C. Harbor, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted on May 29, 2024, with Mr. C.
Harbor, Site Vice President, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.
The examination included the evaluation of 14 applicants for reactor operator licenses, 6 applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and 4 applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all 24 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 05000528/2024301, 05000529/2024301, and 05000530/2024301
Electronic distribution via LISTSERV Signed by Gepford, Heather J.
on 06/17/24
ML24164A297 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:SOE OB:OE OB:OE NAME TFarina KClayton JKirkland NHernandez DYou KMurphy SIGNATURE
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DATE 06/17/24 06/13/24 06/13/24 06/13/24 06/17/24 06/14/24 OFFICE PBA:SRI C:OB NAME MHayes HGepford SIGNATURE
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DATE 06/12/24 06/17/24
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Inspection Report
Docket Numbers:
05000528, 05000529, 05000530
License Numbers:
Report Numbers:
05000528/2024301; 05000529/2024301; 05000530/2024301
Enterprise Identifier:
Licensee:
Arizona Public Service Company
Facility:
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
Location:
Tonopah, Arizona
Inspection Dates:
April 29, 2024 to May 29, 2024
Inspectors:
T. Farina, Senior Operations Engineer (Chief Examiner)
K. Clayton, Senior Operations Engineer
J. Kirkland, Senior Operations Engineer
M. Hayes, Senior Resident Inspector
N. Hernandez, Senior Operations Engineer
K. Murphy, Operations Engineer
D. You, Operations Engineer
Approved By:
Heather J. Gepford, Ph.D., Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
Examination Report 05000528/2024301, 05000529/2024301, 05000530/2024301; April 29,
2024 - May 29, 2024; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Initial Operator
Licensing Examination Report
The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of 14 applicants for reactor operator licenses,
6 applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and 4 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 9, 2024. The NRC examiners administered the operating
tests on April 29, 2024 - May 3, 2024.
The NRC examiners determined that all 24 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 four 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 9, 2024, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to
all 24 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the
results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on May 14, 2024.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to
all applicants from April 29 to May 3, 2024.
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 four generic weaknesses associated with applicant
performance on the scenario and systems job performance measure sections of the
operating test:
- Applicants ability to properly apply technical specification 3.6.3 to dual function
valves, specifically SIA-672, train A containment spray header isolation.
Applicants ability to promptly locate the Bailey positioner for steam bypass
control valves.
Applicants ability to respond to a malfunction where a single 13.9 kV bus was
powered from two AC sources, resulting in an unnecessary main turbine trip.
Post-examination analysis revealed two generic weaknesses associated with applicant
performance on the written examination; specifically, the following questions had a miss
rate exceeding 50 percent: 80 and 92. These deficiencies were captured in the
licensees corrective action program as Condition Reports 24-04274, 24-05276,
24-05279, and 24-05281. 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 regarding 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 3, 2024, to Mr. C.
Harbor, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff. A virtual exit meeting was
conducted on May 29, 2024, between Mr. D. You, NRC examiner, and Mr. C. Harbor, Site Vice
President, and other members of your staff. The licensee did not identify any information or
materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED
Accession No. ML24164A291 - FINAL WRITTEN EXAMS
Accession No. ML24164A292 - FINAL OPERATING TEST
Accession No. ML24164A258 - POST-EXAMINATION ANALYSIS