ML17191B014
| ML17191B014 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden  |
| Issue date: | 11/30/1998 |
| From: | Leach M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Kingsley O COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17191B013 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-237-98-301OL, 50-249-98-301OL, NUDOCS 9812090153 | |
| Download: ML17191B014 (4) | |
See also: IR 05000237/1998301
Text
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Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley
President, Nuclear Generation Group
Commonwealth Edison Company*
ATTN: Regulatory Services
Executive Towers West Ill
1400 Opus Place, Suite 500
Downers Grove, IL 60515
November 30, 1998
SUBJECT:
OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORTS 50-237/98301(0L);
50-249/98301 (OL)
Dear Mr. Kingsley:
On November 2, 1998, the NRC completed initial operator licensing examinations at your
Dresden Nuclear Power Station. The license applicants' performance evaluations were
finalized on November 24, 1998 .. During the license examination, control room operations were
observed and several administrative and operating procedures were reviewed. The enclosed
report presents the results of the examination and concurrent operations inspection.
Operating and written examinations were administered to six license applicants. Three
applicants were administered Reactor Operator (RO) examinations and three applicants were
administered Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) examinations. All six applicants passed all
sections of their examinations and were issued RO or SRO licenses to operate your Dresden
Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3.
This examination was the Dresden.Station tr~in_ing d~partment's first opportunity to prepare an
operator license examination under the NRC's initial license examination process. Tnis process
allowed your training department personnel to prepare and administer the written examination
and to prepare the operating examination. NRC examiners administered the operating
examination. The original examination outline submitted by the training department's staff was
well prepared and required only minor changes to make the examination conform with NUREG
1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Interim Revision 8,
January 1997. The examination developed by your staff from that approved outline required
minor changes to improve readability of the written examination and some changes to the job
performance measures evaluation questions to bring them into conformance with the guidelines
provided in NUREG 1021 and with other examinations currently being administered by the
NRC.
9812090153 981202
ADOCK 05000237
V
0. Kingsley
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Observed control room evolutions were weli supervised and communications were concise and
complete. Licensed. operators who performed examination validation were knowledgeable and
executed procedures correctly with one notable exception. While validating one scenario
requiring an emergency depressurization, the SRO did not begin the emergency
depressurization in a timely manner after the pressure suppression pressure limit was
exceeded. While conducting the management exit meeting the NRC Chief Examiner stated
that one SRO applicant did not begin emergency depressurizing the reactor pressure vessel in
a timely manner after exceeding the pressure suppression pressure limit. In a letter from the
Dresden Station Site Vice President (JMHL TR: #98-0281), dated November 9, 1998, that
transmitted the post examination comments, it was stated, in item #5, "the DEOP [Dresden
Emergency Operating Procedure] Coordinator, current operating philosophy, and the lesson
plan for DEOP 200-1 all agree that depressurization is not automatically required until the
sprays are given the opportunity to lower containment pressure.* This is what happened in the
scenario."* The NRC examiners believed this was a deviation from the Boiling Water Reactor
(BWR) Owner's Group Emergency Procedures Guidelines (EPGs) and Severe Accident
Guidelines (SAGs) which require emergency depressurization when the limit is reached. In a
follow-up telephone call between the chief examiner and the Operations Training Supervisor,
the supervisor stated that the current operating philosophy will be modified to conform with the
guidance provided in Revision 1 of the BWR EPGs/SAGs, and that training was being provided
to currently licensed operators to implement the modified philosophy. We understand that the
training for, and implementation of, the new EPGs/SAGs will be completed within ninety days of
the date of this letter. We also understand that there are some engineering calculations that
are required to be completed prior to implementation of the EPGs/SAGs that may delay
implementation of the EPGs/SAGs. If our understanding is incorrect or the implementation of
the EPGs/SAGs will be delayed beyond ninety days from the date of this letter, we request that
you inform us immediately with any necessary clarification or correction.
It is our expectation that the Dresden training department instructors will use the applicant and
examination weaknesses outlined in the accompanying report as feedback to improve the
operator license training program in accordance with your Systematic Approach to Training
program.
- In accordance with 10 CFR 2. 790 of the Commission's regulations, a copy of this letter and the
enclosures to this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
0. Kingsley
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We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.
Sincerely
- Original Signed by Melvyn Leach
Melvyn N. Leach, Chief
Operator Licensing Branch
Docket Nos.: 50-237; 50-249
Enclosures:
1. Inspection Reports 50-237/98301 (OL); 50-249/98301 (OL)
2. Facility Post Written Examination Comments and NRC Resolution
3. Simulation Facility Report
4. Written Examination and Answer Keys (SRO and RO)
cc w/encls 1, 2, 3:
- D. Helwig, Senior Vice President
cc w/encls 1, 2, 3 & 4:
H. Stanley, PWR Vic~ President
C. Crane, BWR Vice President *
R. Krich, Regulatory Services Manager
D. Greene, Licensing Director
DCD - Licensing
M. Heffley, Site Vice President
P. Swafford, Station Manager
F. Spangenberg, Regulatory .
Assurance. Manager
R. Hubbard *
M. Aguilar, Assistant Attorney General .
State Liaison Officer
Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission
J. Almon, Plant Training Manager
DOCUMENT NAME: G:DRS\\DRE98301.WPD *
To receive a co
with ettechmenVenclosure "N" = No co
OFFICE
Riii
NAME
McNeil:'
DATE
11/:il/98
.11 /3C/98
11 /lo/98
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
- .' 0. Kingsley
Distribution:
SAR (E-Mail)
RPC (E-Mail)
Project Mgr., NRR w/encls 1, 2 & 3
J. Caldwell, Riii w/encls 1, 2 & 3
C. Pederson, Riii w/encls 1 *. 2 & 3
B. Clayton, Riii w/encls 1, 2 & 3
SRI Dresden w/encls 1, 2 & 3
- DRP w/encls 1, 2 & 3
TSS w/en.cls 1, 2 & 3
- * DRS (2) w/encls 1, 2 & 3
Riii PRR w/encls 1, 2, 3 & 4
PUBLIC IE-42 w/encls 1, 2 & 3
Docket File w/encls 1, 2 & 3
GREENS
IEO (E-Mail)
DOCDESK (E-Mail)
M. Bies, w/encls
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