ML18033A450
| ML18033A450 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 11/23/1988 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18033A449 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8811300457 | |
| Download: ML18033A450 (8) | |
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UNITED STATES LEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIO WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 ENCLOSUIRE SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICF.
OF SPECIAL PROJECTS CONCERNING THE TRAINII'IG PROGRAM TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY BROlJNS FERPY NUCLEAR PLANT, lINIT 2 OOCKET NO. 50-260
- 1. 0 INTRODUCTION In developing, the Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan (BFNPP),
TVA management conducted an in-depth evaluation of the personnel training programs at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) to identify'areas requiring training program improvements to enhance BFtl staff operational performance.
As a result of this evaluation, training initiatives were undertaken in the areas of operator training, engineer training, technical training for non-liceqsed plant personnel, accreditation of training courses by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations
( INPO), and upgrades to the site training facilities.
The NPC staff's review of the BFN training upgrades concentrated on operator training programs because of NRC's responsibilities with respect to operator licensing.
The following discussion provides the staff's evaluation of the training program upgrades at BFN.
2.0 EVALUATION The staff's evaluation of the BFN training programs consisted of a combination of programmatic reviews, detailed inspections, and administration nf operator licensing and requalification examinations.
- 2. 1 Operator Training Upgrades TVA undertook a significant upgrade of operator requalification training in response to weaknesses ide'ntified by NRC operator examinations.
The identified weaknesses were evidenced by reactor operator replacement and senior reactor operator upgrade examination pass rates wl.ich had been significantly below the industry average, and by the ur satisfactory performance of licensed reactor operators and senior reactor operators on NRC developed and administered requalification examinations.
TVA conducted a detailed evaluation of the weaknesses, and determined the root ca'IIses for the training deficiencies.
These root causes were concen;rated in the areas of operator requalification hard simulator training.
The programs developed to correct the underlying deficiercies.are described in the following paraqraphs.
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Mr. Oliver D. Kingsley, Jr.
CC:
General Counsel Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive Ell B33 Knoxville, Tennessee 37902 Mr. R. L. Gridley Tennessee Valley Authority 5N 157B Lookout Place Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402-2801 Mr. C.
Mason Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Nuclea~ Plant P.O.
Box 2000
Box 2000
- Decatur, Alabama 35602 Mr. D. L. Williams Tennessee Valley Authority 400 West Summit Hill Drive W10 B85 Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
- Chairman, Limestone County Commission P.O.
Box 188
- Athens, Alabama 35611 Claude Earl Fox, M.D.
State Health Officer State Department of Public Health State Office Building Montgomery, Alabama 36130 Browns Ferry, Nuclear Plant Regional Administrator, Region II U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 101 Marietta Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30323 Resident Inspector/Browns Ferry NP U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Route 12, Box 637
- Athens, Alabama 35611 Dr. Henry Myers, Science Advisor Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs U. S.
House of Representatives Washington, D.C.
20515 Tennessee Valley Authority Rockville Office 11921 Rockville Pike Suite 402 Rockville, Maryland 20852
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a.
Accelerated Requalification Program The Accelerated Requalification Program (ARP) was implemented to provide a detailed one-time training curriculum to upgrade the level of knowledge of all BFN licensed operators.
The ARP consisted of 16 or more weeks of instruction covering the topics discussed in the Hot License Program, with additional emphasis'on thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid flow, reactor physics, mitigating core
- damage, and plant and reactor transient analysis.
The operators were divided into four groups, and their training progress was monitored by weekly examinations plus a comprehensive final examination.
Prior to resuming operating plant duties, all operators completing the ARP must have completed an NRC-administered requalification examination.
As of the writing of this SE, all four groups had completed the ARP, and the first three groups had completed the NRC requalification examination; the requalification examination for ARP group 4 had been scheduled for early 1989.
Based on the results of an NRC inspection of requalification training at BFN on Harch 22-24, 1988 (documented in Inspection Report 50-259/260/296/88-08 of April 13, 1988), during which an evaluation of BFNPP operator training commitments was conducted, the staff has concluded that TYA has met all BFNPP commitments regarding the ARP.
The staff finds the Accelerated Requalification Program acceptable.
b.
Annual Requalification In the
- BFNPP, TVA committed to lengthening Annual Requalification Training from four to eight weeks to enhance operator level of knowledge and retention of that knowledge.
TVA has planned to evaluate improvements resulting from the increased length of annual
- training, and adjust the length of annual training, as necessary;
- however, TYA has committed to maintain at least six weeks of annual requalification training.
The plan described above appears to be sufficient to maintain adequate operator level of knowledge.
NRC inspectors and license examiners have determined that the increased length of training, combined with the increased scope and quality of the trai ning, appears effective in enhancing operator level of knowledge,
- and, as a result, performance.
TVA's commitment to review "improvements due to increased training" needs to be performed carefully, without diminishing the primary importance of maintaining training quality.
Before the length of requalification trainino is scaled
- back, TVA must ensure that a
shortened training program will not adversely impact operator ability to perform required tasks safely.
NRC will continue to closely
monitor and eva1uate TVA's operator performance, especially in light of the contribution poor operator performance made to the current extended plant outage at BFN.
The staff finds that the upgraded Annual Requalification Program is acceptable.
Simulator Training The generic deficiencies identified with simulator training at BFN related to poor use of Emergency Operating Instructions (EOI), use of uncontrolled reference material in the simulator, and ineffective communication among control room operators.
Corrective actions implemented to correct these problems included two weeks of training on EOIs for all licensed operators as part of the Accelerated Requalification Program (one week each in the classroom and the simulator),
banning uncontrolled documentation from the simulator, providing increased training emphasis on control room crew communications and teamwork, and providing additional communication skills training to individual operators whose performance would be enhanced by improved communications skills.
The NRC inspectors who conducted the March 22-24, 1988, inspection of the operator training and requalification program determined that the BFHPP commitments regarding simulator training had been met, with the exception of the issues relating to'perato~
communications.
The operator communications commitments were not considered entirely fulfilled because TVA instructors developed concerns in this area during simulator examinations conducted in February 1988.
The staff
- notes, however, that operator communications have improved, as demonstrated by the fact that the first three groups of operators in the ARP have completed HRC administered requalification examinations.
It therefore appears that effective action has been initiated at BFN to remedy the concerns associated with the outstanding operator communications commitments.
Another significant improvement in the simulator training program has been the relocation of the simulator from the Power Operations Training Center in Chattanooga to the BFN site.
The staff concurs with TVA's assessment that this relocation enhances operator training because'of the improved accessibility of the simulator.
The staff
- notes, however, that the BFN simulator will be modified to a plant referenced simulator, and that TVA must certify to HRC by March 1991 (per the March 1987 revision to 10 CFR 55), that the simulator has been so modified.
In summary, the staff finds the upgrades to simulator training described in the BFHPP acceptable.
2.2 Engineer Training TVA stated in the BFNPP that, "Training has been inadequate to equip engineers for tasks at BFN."
To address this concern, an extensive training program for BFN site engineers was implemented by Site Director Standard Practice (SDSP) 4.9.
This two-part program consists of an orientation phase and an advanced phase.
Orientation training provides instruction in print reading, regulatory requirements, work control, plant modifications, and plant systems.
The orientation phase must be completed within 18 months of appointment by newly assigned BFN engineers and plant technical
- managers, unless a specific waiver of training is granted.
In addition, all incumbent plant technical staff managers and engineers were required to complete the orientation phase by August 1, 1987, have an approved waiver or have limited duties.
The advanced phase training is designed for engineers and technical managers whose duties require in depth knowledge of plant systems and operations.
There are two segments to the advanced
- phase, classroom and simulator.
Completion of these segments satisfies the training requirements of ANSI-18. 1, "Selection and Training of Nuclear Power Plant Personnel."
The advanced phase t~alning is equivalent to the classroom and simulator training given to Senior Reactor Operators, and those personnel successfully completing advanced phase training receive simulator certification.
The topics covered in-depth in this phase are plant systems, reacto~ physics, thermodynamics, fluid flow, chemistry, health physics, electricity, material science, and plant simulator training.
Following successful completion of the advanced
- phase, personnel are required to complete annual requalification training and testing to maintain certification.
R The staff finds that the Engineer Training program described in the BFNPP is acceptable.
2.3 Non-Licensed Personnel Training TYA has undertaken several initiatives regarding the training of non-licensed personnel at BFN, as discussed in the BFNPP.
Since
- 1984, a formal training program for craftsmen has been instituted.
The primary goal of this program is to upgrade craft level of knowledge regarding plant components and maintenance
. practices.
The individual courses are being taught by permanent BFN staff, TVA corporate training staff, and, for highly specialized
- courses, by contracted outside sources.
Additionally, two plant systems familiarization courses for craftsmen, of 80 and 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> in length, respectively, have been instituted to expand craft level of knowledge beyond a traditional equipment specific and maintenance related orientation.
Also, TVA has begun implementation of a training program applicable to all BFN personnel regardinq Environmental Qualification (E(}).
TVA envisions that the courses constituting this program will teach personnel about general Eg requirements, plus give job-specific training tailored to each work group's assigned tasks.
The staff finds that"the Non-Licensed Personnel Training program described in the BFNPP is acceptable.
2.4 INPO Accreditation TVA has attained INPO accreditation of BFN training programs and instructors in the following training areas:
Instrument and Controls Technician, Radiological Technician, Chemistry Technician, Non-Licensed Operator, Reactor Operator, SRO/Shift Supervisor, Shift Technical Advisor, Technical Staff and Manager, Mechanical Maintenance, and Electrical Maintenance.
The BFN training program is, therefore, fully accredited in all areas subiect to INPO training accreditation.
2.5 Training Facility Upgrades In the
The BFN simulator has been incorporated in this facility, having been relocated from the Power Operations Training Center in Chattanooga, as previously discussed in this safety evaluation.
This improved facility has made a positive contribution to the plant's overall training program by providing an easily accessible environment which is conducive to effective traininq.
3.0 CONCLUSION
Based on the preceding discussion, the staff finds that TVA's training program at BFN is acceptable.
Principal Contributor:
P.
Castleman Date of Issuance:
November 23, 1988