ML071660271
| ML071660271 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 06/15/2007 |
| From: | Haag R Division of Reactor Safety II |
| To: | Campbell W Tennessee Valley Authority |
| References | |
| 50-327/07-301, 50-328/07-301 50-327/07-301, 50-328/07-301 | |
| Download: ML071660271 (8) | |
See also: IR 05000327/2007301
Text
June 15, 2007
Tennessee Valley Authority
ATTN: Mr. William R. Campbell
Chief Nuclear Officer and
Senior Vice President
6A Lookout Place
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT: SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT
NOS. 05000327/2007301 AND 05000328/2007301
Dear Mr. Campbell:
During the period of April 9-11, 2007, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered
operating examinations to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate
the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. The examiners discussed examination questions and preliminary
findings related to the operating test with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed
report on April 12, 2007. The written examination was administered by your staff on May 9,
2007. The Chief Examiner discussed questions and preliminary findings related to the written
examination with members of your staff on May 23, 2007.
Three Senior Reactor Operator applicants passed both the written and operating examinations.
There were no post examination comments. A Simulation Facility Report is included in this
report as Enclosure 2.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its
enclosures 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\\\\
Robert C. Haag, Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos.: 50-327, 50-328
Enclosures: (See page 2)
2
Enclosures:
1. Report Details
2. Simulation Facility Report
Ashok S. Bhatnagar
Senior Vice President
Nuclear Generation Development
and Construction
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Preston D. Swafford
Senior Vice President
Nuclear Support
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Walter M. Justice, II
Interim Vice President
Nuclear Engineering &
Technical Services
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Randy Douet
Site Vice President
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Electronic Mail Distribution
General Counsel
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
John C. Fornicola, General Manager
Nuclear Assurance
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Beth A. Wetzel, Manager
Corporate Nuclear Licensing and
Industry Affairs
Tennessee Valley Authority
4X Blue Ridge
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Glenn W. Morris, Manager
Licensing and Industry Affairs
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Robert H. Bryan, Jr., General Manager
Licensing and Industry Affairs
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority
4X Blue Ridge
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
David A. Kulisek, Plant Manager
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Lawrence E. Nanney, Director
TN Dept. of Environment & Conservation
Division of Radiological Health
Electronic Mail Distribution
County Mayor
Hamilton County Courthouse
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Ann Harris
341 Swing Loop
Rockwood, TN 37854
James H. Bassham, Director
Tennessee Emergency Management
Agency
Electronic Mail Distribution
Mr. Thomas Wallace
Training Manager
Sequoyah Training Center
Igou Ferry Road
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
_________________________
OFFICE
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRP
SIGNATURE
MAB7
RCH
SMS\\For
NAME
MBates
RHaag
MWidmann
DATE
6/13/2007
6/13/2007
6/13/2007
6/ /2007
6/ /2007
6/ /2007
6/ /2007
E-MAIL COPY?
YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO
Enclosure 1
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION II
Docket Nos.:
50-327, 50-328
License Nos.:
Report Nos.:
05000327/2007301 and 05000328/2007301
Licensee:
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Facility:
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 & 2
Location:
Sequoyah Access Road
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
Dates:
Operating Tests - April 9-11, 2007
Written Examination - May 9, 2007
Examiners:
M. Bates, Chief Examiner
R. Aiello, Senior Operations Engineer
B. Caballero, Operations Engineer
Approved by:
R. Haag, Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000327/2007301, 05000328/2007301; 4/9-5/9/2007; Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant,
Units 1 and 2; Licensed Operator Examinations.
The NRC examiners conducted operator licensing initial examinations in accordance with the
guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,
Rev. 9. 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 of April 9-11, 2007. Members of
the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on May 9, 2007.
The operator licensing initial written examinations and operating tests were developed by the
licensee. Three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the written and
operating examinations and were issued SRO licenses.
The initial written examination submittal was determined to be outside of the acceptable quality
range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Twenty-nine out of 75 questions on the RO examination
were significantly modified or replaced and 9 out of 25 questions on the SRO examination were
significantly modified or replaced as a result of the NRCs review of the submittal. Question
flaws, which caused questions to be rated as unsatisfactory, included non-plausible distractors,
questions not testing knowledge required by the selected topic, and SRO questions not written
to test knowledge that is unique to the SRO position. Future examination submittals should
incorporate lessons learned from this effort.
Report Details
4.
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Operator Licensing Initial Examinations
a.
Inspection Scope
The licensee developed the operating tests and written examinations. The NRC
examination team reviewed the proposed to determine whether it was developed in
accordance with NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power
Reactors, Revision 9. 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 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 three SRO applicants who were being assessed under the
guidelines specified in NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating tests
during the period of April 9-11, 2007. Members of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant training
staff administered the written examination on May 9, 2007. The evaluations of the
applicants and review of documentation were performed to determine if the applicants,
who applied for licensees to operate the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, met requirements
specified in 10 CFR Part 55.
b.
Findings
The initial written examination submittal did not include adequate reference material, as
requested in NRC correspondence from Robert C. Haag to Karl W. Singer, dated
November 9, 2006, to allow the NRC Chief Examiner to adequately review the
examination. Additional reference material was subsequently provided on April 12,
2007. Also, the initial written examination submittal was evaluated to be outside of the
acceptable quality range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Twenty-nine out of 75 questions
on the RO examination were significantly modified or replaced and 9 out of 25 questions
on the SRO examination were significantly modified or replaced as a result of the NRCs
review of the submittal. Question flaws, which caused questions to be rated as
unsatisfactory, included non-plausible distractors, questions not testing knowledge
required by the selected topic, and SRO questions not written to test knowledge that is
unique to the SRO position. Future examination submittals should incorporate lessons
learned from this effort.
A portion of the written examination was developed by the licensee and submitted for
preliminary NRC review prior to the agreed upon submittal date. The licensee then
removed the initial examination developer from examination development activities in
order for the individual to instruct the applicants who were scheduled to take the
examination. All examination material that had been developed up to that point was
required to be discarded due to examination security requirements contained in
NUREG-1021. Examination development was re-commenced with a new examination
development team and a revised agreed upon written examination date of May 3, 2007.
The written examination was further delayed until May 9, 2007, due to the revisions that
were required due to the examination submittal being outside the acceptable quality
range as outlined in NUREG-1021.
Three SROs passed both the operating test and written examination. The licensee
submitted no post examination comments concerning the written or operating
examinations. The written examination, and examination references may be accessed
in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Number ML071490433, ML071440462,
4OA6 Meetings
Exit Meeting Summary
On April 12, 2007, the Chief Examiner discussed generic applicant performance and
examination development issues with members of licensee management. The
inspectors asked the licensee whether any materials examined during the inspection
should be considered proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.
On May 23, 2007, the Chief Examiner discussed written examination development
issues with members of licensee management.
PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED
Licensee
R. Douet, Site Vice President
G. Morris, Site Licensing Manager
T. Wallace, Training Manager
D. Boone, Radiation Protection Manager
B. Picchiottino, Operations Training Manager
R. Proffitt, Licensing Supervisor
M. Reese, Operations Training
D. Truong, Nuclear Assurance
T. Whitten, Operations
NRC
M. Speck, Resident Inspector
Enclosure 2
SIMULATION FACILITY REPORT
Facility Licensee: Sequoyah Nuclear Station
Facility Docket No.: 05000327/05000328
Operating Tests Administered on: April 9-11, 2007
This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit
or inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with IP 71111.11, are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee action is
required in response to these observations.
While conducting the simulator portion of the operating tests, examiners did not observe any
simulation fidelity issues.