ML17298C204

Industry Evaluation of Operating Shift Experience Requirements

ML17298C204
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Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	02/24/1984
From:	John Miller GEORGIA POWER CO.
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Download: ML17298C204 (31)

Text

INDUSTRY EVALUM,'IONoF OPERATING SHIFT BY: J. H. Mi1ler, Jr.

President, Georgia Power Ccmpany For:

NRC Canmissioners 11th Floor Conference Rocm 1717 H. Street, Northwest Washington, D.C.

February 24, 1984

Good afternoon Chairman

Paladino, Ccmnissioners f Staff Members and fellow utility representatives.

My nme is J.

H. Miller, Jr.

and I.

appreciate the opportunity of addressing you today.

As the President of Georgia Power Caopany, I have a great professional and personal interest in the future of the nuclear industry.

Georgia Power has caanitted major resources to nuclear generation and currently has a

two<<unit ENR in cannercial operation and a two-unit PNR under construction scheduled for a

1986 startup.

In addition, I serve as the Chairman of the Association of Edison Illaninating Canpanies Ccmmittee on power generation.

Today, however, I an acting not only as a representive of Georgia Power

Canpany, but also as an industry'epresentative for utilities with current NRC Operating license Applications on the subject of operating* shift experience.

The list of utilities which support our 'position is included in your handout.

At this point, I'd like to introduce several utility executives who have expertise associated with shift operating experience levels.

Hal Tucker, VP Duke Power Cordell Reed, VP Cannonwealth Edison Don Schne11, VP Union Electric

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addition, a neer of executives frcm utilities seeking an operat'xng license; are members of our audience,,

and several executives frcm other utilities who have interest in nuclear operations are also present.

Pe6ore presenting the industry position on operating shift experience, I vast ho put the issue in proper perspective.

Past operating experience is anil@ cae canponent in the qualifications of operators.

Other ccmponents that a1l of us ccnrnit substantial resources to involve selection of very

~enhed individuals to be operators, extensive formal classroan education an8 training, observation and participation at, similar nuclear plants away fry oor service areas, professional simulator training on normal evolutions 8erelop proficiency and on abnormal evolutions that can not be emerienced at an operating

plant, direct involvenent of our operations personm1.

in own plant testing and.hot functionals, denanding written and ora3L examinations administered by both the utilities and

NRC, extensive reqmUfication training including examinations and simulator retraining and ee~mming management involvement to assure that our qualification programs pravide high quality professional operators to help assure protection of the healtth and safety of the public and the envirorment.

To highlight our continuing extensive ccmmitment to having very professional operators manipulate the controls of our plants, I will briefly Best:ibe scme of the elanents of Georgia Power 's Plant Vogtle operator qualification program.

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,This 'program is typical of BXOL's.

Recently Georgia Power interviewed. and tested more than 400 applicants for positions that lead to operator-licensing.

Less than 8 percent of the applicants passed our selection testing and only 5 percent were interested in operator jobs after shift r~uirements were explained.

This se1ection process'esults in the.

retention of people with the special talent to becane operators.

But it, is only the first step in a lang pracess.

The Plant Vagtle Training Center has more than 40,000 ~. ft. dedicated to training.

This modern facility supports canprehensive classroan training progrms for our operators.

Even Georgia Power's four year degreed engineers who are scheduled to be licensed for the startup receive more than 600 hours0.00694 days <br />0.167 hours <br />9.920635e-4 weeks <br />2.283e-4 months <br /> of classroan instruction in the fundanentals of nuclear theory and Vogt1e Plant systan operation.

Our prograns are demanding and our exaninatians are tough.

To date we have removed 30% of the initial class of.degreed personne1 fran our operations programs for failing to meet our standards.

Plant specific simulator training on the Vogtle simulator will have been used by Georgia Power to develop operator knowledge and proficiency during the four years prior to fuel load.

Our Vogtle specific simulator has been in operation since mid 1982.

Extensive participation training and experience has started for our operators at similar operating plants.

These prograns are structured and scheduled to ensure that our operators wil1 be involved with the important aspects of hot experience.

Then, our operators return to Plant Vogtle to direct1y participate in the extrenely valuable preopera reoperational testing progran.

Operators manipulate controls of Vogtle

ent is Cquignent when plant systans are first placed in service.

When eq pn olved o Hav started for the first time, problens are encountered and resolv experience to our operators and enables then to receive hands-on experience to becane intimately faniliar with Vogtle specific cquignent and systens.

Further, during th s per e

iod th operators will use and correct procedures which they helped develop.

In fact, our procedure develognent effort wall first check out our procedures by having our operators use then on the

'lator before they are used in the plant.

Like other utx-es, liti Georgia Power feels that we have structured a very When

leted, ccmprehensive qualification progran for our operators.

canp

'eorgia Power w'owerwill have operators who know how to manipulate Vogtle controls I

to produce power safely and efficiently.

With that perspective, I an now going to present the industry positron concerning the much narrower issue of operating shift experience.

During the past few months, the NRC expressed concern over the operating shift experience levels for Near Term Operating License (VIOL) plants.

(SLIDE 1 BACKGROUND)

Such concerns led to a NRC staff meeting with the COLS on January 26, 1984.

As a result of that meeting 33 representatives frcm 21 utilities met.-

at INPO in Atlanta on February 2 to discuss operating shift experience.

During this meeting an Industry Work Group'as formed which consisted of 16 representat'ves fran 15 utilities.

The mission of the Industry Work Group was to define canponents of operating shift experience and establish acceptab3.e methods of meeting this experience.

The group also reviewed the availability of the industry's licensed personnel and evaluated the potential effects of implenenting the NRC staff objectives, provided in the January 26 meeting in Bethesda.

After acccmplishing its mission, the working 'roup presented its findings to representatives of

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ÃLQL caapanies.

(SLIDE 2 PURPOSE)

N purpose in addressing you today is to present the industry position on Y purpo the level and type of operating shift experience required for the safe startup and initial operation of a nuclear generating plant.

In order to do this, I will discuss the various considerations exanined by the group in light of the NRC Staff Objectives.

I are several general areas which I will address in considering shifg experience.

These are:

first, elements of experience;

second, types of nuclear experience and, weighting factors;

third, operating shift experience requiranents, and finally, evaluation of staff objectives.

(SZJDE 3 EEZMESTS QF PZANT A way to describe shift experience necessary to. startup a nuclear power plant and place it in service is to consider five elenents of experience.

First, licensed members of the operating shift must have experience with power plant machinery and controls; but. it is not necessary for that type of knowledge and experience to be gained only in nuclear power plants. 'uch of the ~uipnent in a large nuclear power plant is very similar to that'sed in other power plants.

Very valuable power plant equignent experience can also

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be gained through preoperational testing of equigaent at the operators'wn nuclear power plant.

Military plant experience also provides a

good base for hands'uipnent experience.

A second elanent of experience, which is considered essential is knowledge of the plant-specific layout and design paraneters.

Participation in the preoperational test progran using plant specific procedures and

~uipnent is an excellent way to assure thorough plant and equignent knowledge.

This is the preferred way to obtain such experience.

Third, licensed operators 'hould be able to respond quickly and effectively to plant transients.

Re believe that the most effective way.

shift crews can acquire this skill is through the use of plant simulators.

The reason is that many transients can be simulated and resimulated in a

short time; unlike "hot" plant experience

where, in one year, relatively'ew transients might occur while personnel are on shift.

Even time spent on a non-plant specific simulator can provide valuable experience in reacting to transients.

Furthermore, simulators are the only way operators can be trained to react to and correctly handle many transients which would not be possible to schedule during plant operation.

Fourth, previous experience in a highly-disciplined, tightly-controlled envtrorment is important in assuring shift canpetence.

Licensed personnel should acquire and danonstrate skill working within the confines of a

tightly-controlled plant, including technical specifications, procedures, quality assurance and radiation protection.

Obviously, working on shift at an operating carrnercial plant would establish this experience.

But this is not the only way; experience can also be gained at military and other reactors.

Fifth, an SRO must have supervisory experience in managing events and people.

Although this experience can be obtained at a nuclear plant, it can also be obtained in the military, and to a great extent, fran other plant supervisory experience.

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'Finally, these eleaents of plant experience when canbined in a shift tean. provide effective nuclear shift managenent.

This shift tean experience concept is much preferred to the one-man concept of plant "experts".

AND NEKRVXNG FACXORS (SZZDE 4 -TYPES GP NKXZAR I

AND NEXGRHNG F2KXOEK)

Ne believe that sane types of experience are more effective in helping to provide operating ccmpetence than others.

To appropriately ccmbine different types of nuclear experience, the industry Working Group developed weighting factors and a.method of applying then to experience.

The formula 1s j.

. Nuclear Experience

~ (Type of Nuclear Experience ),x (Weighting Factor)

Ebllowing my presentation Don Schnel1 wil1 present the detai1s of and bacfcground of.the weighting factors.

The Marking Group considered the full range" of experience and the more significant types of nuclear experience

-': were listed on this slide.

OPERATING SHIFX'Slide 5 - OPERATING KiIPT Slide 5 shows the experience that the License Applicants consider would help assure protection of the health and safety of the public and envirorxnent.

The experience figures were derived in part frcm appropriate elanents of ANS 3.1-1981 supplanented to provide a practical solution to the "Hot" experience concern.

It r~uires a minimm of 13 years total power plant experience and six years nuclear plant experience on each shift.

By applying experience factors that Mr. Schnell will describe, the industry's position is that each shift will have the experience ccapetence necessary to provide a high level of operator proficiency.

Further, as the unit operates over time, the people on shift will'becane more and more experienced.

Their performance will, in the normal course of business, be monitored by the plant managenent so that their caapetence should improve with operation of the unit.

SHIrFT ADVISOR For many of the near term

plants, the NRC has required that an experienced advisor be assigned to each shift.

This advisor was to aucpnent the utility organization until suitable experience could be developed by the utilitystaff.

To strengthen the advisor role and to provide an approach to replace advisors with utility personnel, the industry has developed the following.

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'dvisors will have standard qualifications which include previous "Hot" and utility traxning on the unit to be started up.

licensed expel.ence, a

There will be a clear definition of the advisor's duties.

They will be experienced peop e a

1 nd will receive formal training as

required, with specific tr in'bout their duties and responsibilities, and the shaft crews will also receive training on the advisor '

duties and responsibilities.

'Ikey will not perform licensed operator duties unless they are licensed on that specific reactor.

Mr. Schnell will also present the details of the advisor qualifications and duties.

EVAEIJATION OF STAFF OB3ZCTIVES

{SLIDE 6 - NBC STM F OBZXTIVlZ)

The Industry Working Group has reviewed the NRC Staff Objectives and considered their potential impact on the industry.

Ne do not agree that 0

meeting these objectives would necessarily improve the safety margin of the industry's plants.

{SLIDE 7 " EHlZT OF NRC STAFF OBXYZIMB)

Ne believe that meeting the staff objectives would result in a large movenent of licensed personnel fran operating plants to NK)L plants which would obviously dilute the operating plants'evel of shaft expertise.

Alternative y, e movenen 1

th movenent of sane of the license candidates in traxning at hTK)Ls to operating plants for the purposese of'ndertaking a

long license/experience program rogram would cause those candidates to miss important 1

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portions of preoperational testing at their hcme plant.

This loss of

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preoperational test experience would in our opinion reduce the margm of safety

.for plants in startup.

The overall margin of safety for both operating and startup plants would therefore be adversely impacted.

Also, plant startups could be delayed by the need to acquire," train, and license people not previously identified to fillthe shift experience levels specified in the staff objectives.

Juris would result in very large capital costs without 'apparent offsetting benefits.

In suneary the owners and operators of nuclear power plants with current.

NRC Operating License Applications are amnitted to providing a high level of on-shift operating experience.

This will help assure safe operation of (SZZDE 8 - SUbRARY)

We endorse stated experience requirenents shown in the previous slide OS which Mr. Schnell vill discuss.

Xn addition, we recognize the need for defining the types of experience contributing to fulfilling such requireaents and we plan to use weighting factors as Mr. Schnell will also discuss+

We plan.to provide two SROs per shift, one of whan has at least,six

'onths of "Hot" participation.

For. those plants that cannot provide the "Hot" participation r~uirenents for 'SROs, a qualified advisor would. be used until such time as their shift personnel are qualified.

Of course, these advisors would be trained as Nr. Schnell will describe.

The shift crews will also be trained on the duties and responsibilities of such advisor.

Further, we would like to eliminate advisors by meeting the stated shift experience levels with our own people within three years of acceptance of this position by the NRC.

To conclude, each of us has a large investment in our facilities.

We are addressing today the subject of operating shift experience.

This is only one component in the lengthy, 'ccmplex, and demanding job of qualifying our operators.

Each of us is determined to place these units in operation safely.

We believe that the position we have outlined today will accanplish our mutual goals and will result in improved safety margins, and help assure the protection of the health and safety of the public.

Don Schnell V. P. Nuclear, Union Electric Ccmpany will present Nuclear Operating Experience R~uirenents, Plant Experience Weighting Factors and the Shift. Advisor qualifications.

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BY: J. H. Miller, Jr.

President, Georgie Power Ccmpany For:

NRC Canmissicners Mth Floor Conference Roan 1717. H. Street, Northwest Washington, D.C.

February 24, 1984

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SLIDE 1 DATE January 26 February 2-22 February 24 EVENT

~ NRC Staff Meeting with NTOLS to Present Objectives o Operating Shift Experience Meetings Heid Industry Working Group Formed

~ UtiIityManagement Accepted Industry Working Group Findings

~ Presentation to NRC Commissioners

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.SLIDE 2 PURFQSK Present industry position on the level and type of operating shift experience required for the safe startup and initial operation of a nuclear generating plant.

SLIDr 3

~ Power Plant Nlachinery and Controls

~ Plant Specific Layout and Design Parameters

~ Response to Plant Transients

~ Highly Disciplined, Tightly Controlled Environment Supervisory Experience

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1 TYPES OF NUCLEAR EXPERIENCE AND WEIGHTING FACYQR'-

FORMULA Nuclear Experience,= ape of Nuclear Experience) x {Weighting Factor)

TYPES OF NUCLEAR EXPERIENCE SRO/RO Same Type Plant SRO/RO Commercial Plant Navy {Military)Plant Simulator Participation at Operating Nuclear Plant License Training Other Nuclear Experience Degree Experience on Own Plant II h IlM

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SLIl)R 5 OPEAATIHG SHlFT EXl3EAIENCE AEQUIAEMENTS Position Shift Supv Power Plant Experience Years Nuclear Plant Experience Years 2

SRO': ".

6 weeks Either Hot Participation Experience at Same Type Plant'tartup and 6 Months License F20% Pwr Shutdown on Shift Sr Operator Licensed Oper Licensed Oper'otals 3

13 SRO RO RO 6 weeks SRO

'If any of the Hot Participation Experience requirements are not satisfied by the SBO's, a qualified advisor is required.

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SLIDE 6

1. At least one SRO on each operating shift should have a minimum of one year of. hot operating experience on a similar type commercial plant at the SRO level

2. Eliminate use of technical advisors for meeting minimum shift crew experience levels

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3. All SROs should have substantial hot operating experience as ROs at facility on which licensed or similar facility

SLZDE 7 o Dilute Shift Experience for Operating Plants Result in Loss of Pr~p Test Experience in

'wn Plant

~- Delay Startup of Some Plants

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SLIDE 8:

SUMMARY

lbfQUSTRY POSITICN ON OPERATINC SHIFT EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

~'Follow Stated Experience Requirements for Operating Shift Personnel Shown on Slide 6 (Oerived from ANS 3.11981)

~ Use Weighting Factors in Assessing Experience

~ Have at Least One SRO with Six Months "Hot" Participation at the Same Type Plant on Each Shift Provide a Qualified Advisor Until the Plant Staff Meets Stated Experience Requirements

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