ML032230494
| ML032230494 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oconee  |
| Issue date: | 08/11/2003 |
| From: | Ernstes M Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch |
| To: | Rosalyn Jones Duke Energy Corp |
| References | |
| 50-269/03-301, 50-270/03-301, 50-287/03-301 | |
| Download: ML032230494 (11) | |
See also: IR 05000269/2003301
Text
August 11, 2003
Duke Energy Corporation
ATTN: Mr. Ronald A. Jones
Vice President
Oconee Site
7800 Rochester Highway
Seneca, SC 29672
SUBJECT:
OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION - REACTOR AND SENIOR REACTOR
OPERATOR INITIAL EXAMINATION 05000269/2003301, 05000270/2003301,
AND 05000287/2003301
Dear Mr. Jones:
During the period June 16 - 24, 2003, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered
operating examinations to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate
the Oconee Nuclear Station. At the conclusion of the examination, the examiners discussed
the examination questions and preliminary findings with those members of your staff identified
in the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by your staff on June 27,
2003.
Thirteen of the fifteen applicants passed the examinations. One of the nine ROs and one of the
six SROs failed the simulator portion of the operating exam. There were no post examination
comments.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRCs 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).
Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 562-4638.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Michael E. Ernstes, Chief
Operator Licensing and
Human Performance Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos.: 05000269, 05000270, 05000287
License Nos.: DPR-38, DPR-47, DPR-55
Enclosure: (See page 2)
2
Enclosure: Report Details
cc w/encl:
L. E. Nicholson
Compliance Manager (ONS)
Duke Energy Corporation
Electronic Mail Distribution
Lisa Vaughn
Legal Department (EC11X)
Duke Energy Corporation
422 South Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28242
Anne Cottingham
Winston and Strawn
Electronic Mail Distribution
Beverly Hall, Acting Director
Division of Radiation Protection
N. C. Department of Environmental
Health & Natural Resources
Electronic Mail Distribution
Henry J. Porter, Director
Div. of Radioactive Waste Mgmt.
S. C. Department of Health and
Environmental Control
Electronic Mail Distribution
R. Mike Gandy
Division of Radioactive Waste Mgmt.
S. C. Department of Health and
Environmental Control
Electronic Mail Distribution
County Supervisor of
Oconee County
415 S. Pine Street
Walhalla, SC 29691-2145
Lyle Graber, LIS
NUS Corporation
Electronic Mail Distribution
M. T. Cash, Manager
Regulatory Issues & Affairs
Duke Energy Corporation
526 S. Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28201-0006
Peggy Force
Assistant Attorney General
N. C. Department of Justice
Electronic Mail Distribution
Bentley K. Jones
Training Manager
Oconee Nuclear Station
7800 Rochester Highway
Seneca, SC 29672-0752
3
Distribution w/encl:
L. Olshan, NRR
C. Evans (Part 72 Only)
L. Slack, RII EICS
RIDSNRRDIPMLIPB
PUBLIC
OFFICE
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRP
SIGNATURE
/RA/
/Ra/
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
NAME
RAiello:pmd
GHopper
GLaska
RHaag
MErnstes
DATE
8/ 1 /2003
8/ 11 /2003
8/ 1 /2003
8/ 11 /2003
8/ 11 /2003
8/ /2003
8/ /2003
E-MAIL COPY?
YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO
PUBLIC DOCUMENT
YES
NO
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY DOCUMENT NAME: C:\\ORPCheckout\\FileNET\\ML032230494.wpd
Enclosure
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION II
Docket Nos.:
05000269, 05000270, 05000287
License Nos.:
Report Nos.:
05000269/2003301, 05000270/2003301, and
Licensee:
Duke Energy Corporation (DEC)
Facility:
Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, & 3
Location:
7800 Rochester Highway
Seneca, SC 29672
Dates:
Operating Tests - June 16 - 24, 2003
Written Examination - June 27, 2003
Examiners:
R. Aiello, Chief Examiner
G. Hopper, Senior Operations Engineer
G. Laska, Operations Engineer
Approved by:
M. Ernstes, Chief
Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000269/2003-301, ER 05000270/2003-301,ER 05000287/2003-301; 06/16 - 24/2003;
Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, & 3, Licensed Operator Examinations.
The NRC examiners conducted operator licensing initial examinations in accordance with the
guidance in NUREG-1021, Draft Revision 9, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for
Power Reactors. This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements of
10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45.
The NRC administered the operating tests during the period June 16 - 24, 2003. Members of
the Oconee Nuclear Station training staff administered the written examination on June 27,
2003. The written examinations were developed by the NRC. The operating tests were
developed by the facility. Thirteen of the fifteen applicants passed the examinations. One of
the nine ROs and one of the six SROs failed the simulator portion of the operating exam. All of
the applicants that passed were issued operator licenses commensurate with the level of
examination administered.
The NRC identified generic weaknesses in applicant performance, and procedure usage and
effectiveness.
Report Details
4.
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Operator Licensing Initial Examinations
a.
Inspection Scope
The NRC and the licensee developed the written and operating examinations
respectively in accordance with the guidelines specified in NUREG-1021, Operator
Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Draft Revision 9. The NRC
examination team reviewed the proposed examination. Examination changes agreed
upon between the NRC and the licensee were made according to NUREG-1021 and
incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.
The Licensees examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for
a proposed examination. The examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and
the facility were made according to NUREG-1021.
The examiners reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing
and administering the examinations to ensure examination security and integrity
complied with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of examinations and tests.
The examiners evaluated nine Reactor Operator (RO) and six Senior Reactor Operator
(SRO) applicants who were being assessed under the guidelines specified in NUREG -
1021. The examiners administered the operating tests during the period June 16 - 24,
2003. Members of the Oconee Nuclear Station training staff administered the written
examination on June 27, 2003. The evaluations of the applicants and review of
documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licensees
to operate the Oconee Nuclear Station, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55.
b.
Findings
No findings of significance were identified. However, the exam team observed generic
weaknesses in applicant performance, and procedure usage and effectiveness. The
examiners noted common errors and repetitive misapplication of procedural steps
during the simulator scenarios.
During the administration of the simulator scenarios, three of four exam crews took in
excess of 15 minutes to restore vital power from the Keowee units following a Station
Black Out (SBO). Emergency power was immediately available following the SBO
through the CT-4 transformer. Restoration of Offsite or Emergency Power Emphasis
must be placed on restoring both emergency AC power and offsite power to the plant,
in accordance with the B&W owners group guideline, Rev 9 (EOP Technical Bases
Document, 74-1152414-09, Vol. 3,III.A-12). The exam crews were slow to initiate EOP
Enclosure 5.38 which restored emergency power through the CT-4 transformer.
2
.
All four exam crews failed to take prompt corrective action to mitigate high reactor
building pressure. The crews did not recognize the High Reactor Building pressure
condition when performing step 1 of EOP Enclosure 5.1, ES Actuation. Three of the
exam crews failed to initiate reactor Building Spray when it was required.
Three of four exam crews failed to attempt to isolate steam going to the condenser on a
turbine bypass valve failure by shutting the block valve (1-MS-17). With a subsequent
steam generator tube rupture in progress on the same generator, this action, if
successful, would have terminated the release of primary coolant into the condenser.
The action is contained in the Response Not Obtained column of step three of the
Excessive Heat Transfer procedure. One SRO directed the crew to close the block
valve after careful consideration and application of systems knowledge. Three others,
using the procedural guidance, made no attempt to shut the valve.
Several crews failed to apply many of the If At Any Time (IAAT) steps when they were
applicable (i.e., high reactor building pressure). This was due, in part, to the large
number of IAAT conditional statements that were active at any one time.
The examiners determined, based on observation of the scenarios and discussions with
plant staff, that some of these errors may have resulted from the applicants being
confused by the procedures. These and other issues were documented in the
licensees Problem Investigation Process Report (PIP) number O-03-04450.
Thirteen of the fifteen applicants passed the examinations. One of the nine ROs and
one of the six SROs failed the simulator portion of the operating exam. The licensee did
not submit any post-examination comments concerning the written examination. The
RO and SRO written examinations and answer keys, combined RO/SRO examination
and examination references may be accessed in the ADAMS system (ADAMS
Accession Number ML032020259).
4OA6 Meetings
Exit Meeting Summary
On June 24, 2003, the examination team discussed generic issues with Mr. Bentley
Jones and members of his staff.
The examiners asked the licensee whether any materials examined during the
inspection should be considered proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.
3
PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED
Licensee personnel
N. Constance, Operations Training Manager
P. Gillespie, Shift Operations Manager
B. Hamilton, Station Manager
B. Jones, Training Manager
L. Nicholson, RGC Manager
R. Repko, Superintendent of Operations
J. Steely, Initial Training Supervisor
P. Stovall, Safety Review Group Manager
NRC personnel
M. Shannon, Senior Resident Inspector