ML090720037
| ML090720037 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 03/13/2009 |
| From: | Widmann M NRC/RGN-II/DRS/OLB |
| To: | Swafford P Tennessee Valley Authority |
| References | |
| Download: ML090720037 (10) | |
See also: IR 05000327/2009301
Text
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION II
SAM NUNN ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER
61 FORSYTH STREET, SW, SUITE 23T85
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8931
March 13, 2009
Mr. Preston D. Swafford
Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice President
Tennessee Valley Authority
3R Lookout Place
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION
REPORT 05000327/2009301 AND 05000328/2009301
Dear Mr. Swafford:
During the period January 20 - 29, 2009, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to
operate the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed
preliminary findings related to the operating tests with those members of your staff identified in
the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by your staff on
February 4, 2009.
One Reactor Operator (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both
the operating test and written examination. Two RO and two SRO applicants failed the written
examination. There were no post-administration comments concerning the written examination.
A Simulator Fidelity 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 the NRCs document
system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-
rm.adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). If you have any questions concerning
this letter, please contact me at (404) 562-4550.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos.: 50-327, 50-328
Enclosures: 1. Report Details
2. Simulator Fidelity Report
cc w/encl: (See page 2)
2
cc w/encl:
Ashok S. Bhatnagar
Senior Vice President
Nuclear Generation Development and
Construction
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Preston D. Swafford
Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice
President
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Christopher R. Church
Plant Manager
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Thomas Coutu
Vice President
Nuclear Support
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Michael J. Lorek
Vice President
Nuclear Engineering & Projects
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Timothy P. Cleary
Site Vice President
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
John C. Fornicola
General Manager
Nuclear Assurance
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
General Counsel
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Fredrick C. Mashburn, Acting Manager
Corporate Nuclear Licensing and Industry
Affairs
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Beth A. Wetzel, Acting Manager
Licensing and Industry Affairs
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Senior Resident Inspector
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
2600 Igou Ferry Road
Soddy Daisy, TN 37379-3624
Lawrence Edward Nanney, Director
Division of Radiological Health
TN Dept. of Environment & Conservation
Electronic Mail Distribution
County Mayor, Hamilton County
Hamilton County Courthouse
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Larry E. Nicholson, General Manager
Performance Improvement
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
Michael A. Purcell
Senior Licensing Manager
Nuclear Power Group
Tennessee Valley Authority
Electronic Mail Distribution
James H. Bassham, Director
Tennessee Emergency Management
Agency
Electronic Mail Distribution
Ann Harris
341 Swing Loop
Rockwood, TN 37854
Tennessee Valley Authority
ATTN: Mr. Tom Wallace
Training Manager
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
P.O. Box 2000 Soddy-Daisy, TN 37384-2000
3
Letter to Preston D. Swafford from Malcolm T. Widmann dated March 13, 2009
SUBJECT:
SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION
REPORT 05000327/2009301 AND 05000328/2009301
Distribution w/encl:
RIDSNRRDIRS
PUBLIC
R. Pascarelli, NRR ((Regulatory Conferences Only))
B. Moroney, NRR (PM: SEQ)
_________________________
X SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE
OFFICE
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRS
RII:DRP
RII:DRS
SIGNATURE
/RA/
RSB /RA/ for
RSB /RA/for
/RA/
HGepford /ra/ for
NAME
R BALDWIN
M RICHES
S ROSE
K SCHAAF
E GUTHRIE
M WIDMANN
DATE
03/06/09
3/11/2009
3/11/2009
3/10/2009
3/10/2009
3/ 122009
E-MAIL COPY?
YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
NO YES
N YES
NO
Enclosure 1
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION II
Docket No.:
50-327, 50-328
License No.:
Report Nos.:
05000327/2009301, 05000328/2009301
Licensee:
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Facility:
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2
Location:
Sequoyah Access Road
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
Dates:
Operating Test - January 20 - 29, 2009
Written Examination - February 4, 2009
Examiners:
Richard S. Baldwin, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer
Steven D. Rose, Senior Reactor Inspector
Mark J. Riches, Operations Engineer
Kenneth D. Schaaf, Operations Engineer (In-Training)
Approved by:
Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief
Operations Branch
Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosure 1
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000327/2009301, 05000328/2009301, 01/20-29/2009 & 02/04/2009; Sequoyah Nuclear
Plant; Operator License Examinations.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in
accordance with the guidelines in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator
Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the
operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicable.
Members of Sequoyah Nuclear Plant training staff developed both the operating tests and the
written examination.
The NRC administered the operating tests during the period January 20 - 29, 2009. Members
of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on
February 4, 2009. One Reactor Operator (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO)
applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. Two RO applicants and two
SRO applicants failed the written examination. Two SRO applicants were issued licenses. One
RO applicant and one SRO applicant received pass letters pending results of any appeals.
There were no post-examination comments.
No findings of significance were identified.
Enclosure 1
REPORT DETAILS
4.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations
a.
Inspection Scope
Members of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant developed both the operating tests and the
written examination. All examination material was developed in accordance with the
guidelines contained in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing
Examination Standards for Power Reactors." The NRC examination team reviewed the
proposed examination. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the
licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the
examination materials.
The NRC reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and
administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR Part 55.49,
Integrity of examinations and tests.
The NRC examiners evaluated three Reactor Operator (RO) and five Senior Reactor
Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-1021. The
examiners administered the operating tests during the period January 20 - 29, 2009.
Members of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written
examination on February 4, 2009. Evaluations of applicants and reviews of associated
documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licenses
to operate the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part
55, Operators Licenses.
b.
Findings
The NRC determined that the details provided by the licensee for the walkthrough and
simulator tests were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed
examination.
4
Enclosure 1
One RO applicant and three SRO applicants passed both the operating test and written
examination. Two RO applicants and two SRO applicants passed the operating test but
did not pass the written examination. Two SRO applicants were issued licenses.
One RO applicant passed the operating test, but passed the written examination with
overall scores between 80% and 82%. One SRO applicant passed the operating test,
but passed the SRO-only portion of the written examination with scores between 70%
and 74%. Each of these applicants was issued a letter stating that they passed the
examination and issuance of their license has been delayed pending any written
examination appeals that may impact the licensing decision for their application.
Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for
evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial training.
The licensee did not submit any post-examination comments. A copy of the final RO
and SRO written examinations, handouts and answer keys, with all changes
incorporated may be accessed in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Number(s)
ML090690060, and ML09690051).
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit
Exit Meeting Summary
On January 30, 2009, the NRC examination team discussed generic issues associated
with the operating test with Mr. Timothy Cleary, Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Site Vice
President, and members of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant staff. The examiners asked the
licensee if any of the examination material was proprietary. No proprietary information
was identified.
Enclosure 1
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee personnel
T. Cleary, Site Vice President
C. Church, Plant Manager
R. Proffitt, Licensing Engineer
K. Jones, Site Engineering Manager
V. Ford, Operations Superintendent
D. Bodine, Chemical Environmental Manager
B. Picchiottino, Training Manager
N. Eggemeyer, Site Security Manager
J. Carden, III, Site Procurement Manager
D. Boone, RP Manager
R. Kerwin NA Manager
R. Thompson, EP Manager
T. Niessen Corporate NA Manager
J. Dvorak, O& SS Manager
NRC personnel
M. Speck, RI
Enclosure 2
SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT
Facility Licensee: Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Facility Docket No.: 05000327, & 05000328
Operating Test Administered: January 20 - 29, 2009
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 Inspection
Procedure 71111.11 are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee
action is required in response to these observations.
No simulator fidelity or configuration issues were identified.