IR 05000272/2010301

Er 05000272-10-301; 05000311-01-301; 05/10-1712010; Salem Generating Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report

ML101550284
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	06/04/2010
From:	Hansell S Operations Branch I
To:	Joyce T Public Service Enterprise Group
Shared Package
ML092470038	List: IR 05000272/2010301 ML101130322 ML101130328 ML101130338 ML101130402 ML101520331 ML101520347 ML101520364 ML101520414 ML101880243 ML102520088 ML111730058
References
50-272/10-301, 50-311/10-301
Download: ML101550284 (8)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION I

475 ALLENDALE ROAD

SUBJECT:

SALEM GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000272/2010301 and 05000311/2010301

Dear Mr. Joyce:

On May 17, 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Salem Generating Station, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on May 21, 2010, with Messrs. M. Kafantaris, Operations Training Director, and G. Marshall, Operations Training Manager, of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021,

"Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1.

The license examiners determined that 6 of the 10 applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate license numbers were issued on May 21, 2010.

No findings of significance were identified during this examination.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "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 NRC's 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, Samuel L. Hansell, Jr., Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure: NRC Examination Report 05000272/2010301 and 05000311/2010301 wi Attachment: Supplemental Information Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311 License Nos. DPR-70 and DPR-75 cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

June 4,2010 Mr. Thomas

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000272/2010301; 05000311/2010301; 05/10-1712010; Salem Generating Station, Units 1 and 2; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

Three NRC Region I examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, four applicants for instant senior operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior operator licenses at Salem Generating Station, Units 1 and 2. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, Supplement 1. The written examination was administered by the facility on May 17, 2010. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on May 10 - 14, 2010. The license examiners determined that 6 of the 10 applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

ii

REPORT DETAILS

OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)

40A5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all ten license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, "Personal Qualification Statement," and NRC Form 396, "Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee." The examiners also audited seven of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicant's qualifications. This audit focused on the applicant's experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified .

.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On May 17, 2010, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 10 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on May 20, 2010.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all 10 applicants on May 10 -14,2010. Two applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios and one reactor operator applicant participated in three scenarios. All reactor operator applicants participated in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The four applicants seeking an instant senior operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 10 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks. The three applicants for upgrade senior operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findings

Six of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. One reactor operator, one instant senior reactor operator, and one upgrade senior operator applicant failed the dynamic simulator portion of the examination. An additional instant senior reactor operator applicant failed the administrative walk-through portion of the examination. All applicants passed the written portion of the examination. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants' average score was 92.0 percent and ranged from 88.0 to 96.0 percent, the senior operator applicants' average score was 92.14 percent and ranged from 89.0 to 94.0 percent. The overall written examination average was 92.1 percent. The text of the examination questions, the licensee's examination analysis, and the licensee's post-examination comments may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.

Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG 1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis for five questions that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. This analysis concluded that no changes were required for these questions. There were no post-examination comments submitted by the licensee .

.3 Initial licenSing Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1 021, Revision 9, Supplement 1. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on January 20, 2010. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1 021, Revision 9, Supplement 1, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package for the written and operating examinations on March 8 and 29, 2010, respectively. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1 021, Revision 9, Supplement 1, and provided comments to the licensee on the written and operating examinations within one week of their respective submittals. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided further comments during the week of April 5, 2010. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on April 20, 2010.

b. Findings

The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings of Significance were identified.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified .

.5 Examination Security

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

40A6 Meetings. Including Exit The chief examiner presented the examination results to Messrs. M. Kafantaris, Operations Training Director, and G. Marshall, Operations Training Manager of the licensee's management staff on May 21,2010. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

E. Gallagher, Nuclear Training Instructor

G. Gauding, Nuclear Training Instructor

M. Kafantaris, Operations Training Director

G. Marshall, Operations Training Manager

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

NONE

Closed

NONE

Discussed

NONE