IR 05000528/2025301
| ML25154A619 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 06/09/2025 |
| From: | Heather Gepford NRC/RGN-IV/DORS/OB |
| To: | Heflin A Arizona Public Service Co |
| References | |
| 50-528/25-301, 50-529/25-301, 50-530/25-301 50-528/OL-25, 50-529/OL-25, 50-530/OL-25 | |
| Download: ML25154A619 (1) | |
Text
June 09, 2025
SUBJECT:
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000528/2025301; 05000529/2025301; 05000530/2025301
Dear Mr. Heflin:
On June 3, 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 May 8, 2025, with Mr. Brian Cable, Plant Manager, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on June 3, 2025, with Mr. Justin Stewart, Operations Training Manager, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.
The examination included the evaluation of thirteen applicants for reactor operator licenses, six applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses and four applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all 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. 50-528, 50-529, 50-530 License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, NPF-74 Electronic distribution via LISTSERV Enclosure:
Examination Report 05000528/2025301; 05000529/2025301; 05000530/2025301 Signed by Gepford, Heather J.
on 06/09/25
ML25154A619 SUNSI Review:
ADAMS:
Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Keyword:
By: TJF Yes No Publicly Available Sensitive NRR-079 OFFICE SOE:DORS:OB SOE:DORS:OB SOE:DORS:OB SOE:DORS:OB NAME JKirkland KClayton NHernandez TFarina SIGNATURE
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DATE 06/04/25 06/04/25 06/04/25 06/04/25 OFFICE SOE:DORS:OB OE:DORS:OB SRI:DORS:PBA C:DORS:OB NAME DYou KMurphy MHayes HGepford SIGNATURE
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DATE 06/04/25 06/05/25 06/04/25 06/09/25
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Examination Report Docket Numbers:
05000528, 05000529, 05000530 License Numbers:
NPF-41, NPF-51, NPF-74 Report Numbers:
05000528/2025301, 05000529/2025301, 05000530/2025301 Enterprise Identifier:
L-2025-OLL-0032 Licensee:
Arizona Public Service Company Facility:
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Location:
Tonopah, Arizona Inspection Dates:
May 5, 2025 to June 3, 2025 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 T. Iskierka-Boggs, Senior Operations Engineer D. You, Operations Engineer K. Murphy, Operations Engineer Approved By:
Heather J. Gepford, Chief Operations Branch Division of Operating Reactor Safety
SUMMARY Examination Report 05000528/2025301; 05000529/2025301; 05000530/2025301; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of thirteen applicants for reactor operator licenses, six applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses 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 15, 2025. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on May 5-8, 2025.
The NRC examiners determined that all 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 15, 2025, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on May 21, 2025.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants on May 5-8, 2025.
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.
Post-examination analysis revealed one generic weakness associated with applicant performance on the written examination. Specifically, Question 52 had a miss rate greater than 50 percent. This deficiency was captured in the licensees corrective action program as Condition Report 25-06035. 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 to Mr. Brian Cable, Plant Manager, and other members of the staff on May 8, 2025. A telephonic exit was conducted on June 3, 2025, between Mr. Thomas Farina, chief examiner, and Mr. Justin Stewart, Operations Training Manager. The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
ADAMS DOCUMENTS REFERENCED Accession No. ML25148A383 - FINAL WRITTEN EXAMS Accession No. ML25148A384 - FINAL OPERATING TEST Accession No. ML25148A371 - POST-EXAMINATION ANALYSIS