ML18057A621
| ML18057A621 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 11/30/1990 |
| From: | Burdick T NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Hoffman D CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9012120303 | |
| Download: ML18057A621 (9) | |
Text
.,
Docket No. 50-255 Consumers Power Company ATTN:
Dayid P. Hoffman Vice President Nuclear Operations 1945 West Parnall Road Jackson, MI 49201
Dear Mr. Hoffman:
N'OV 3 0 1990
SUBJECT:
REQUALIFICATION PROGRAM EVALUATION Arrangements have been made between Mr. 0. Rogers, Training Administrator and Mr. J. Lcnnartz Chief Examiner for an evaluation of the requalification program and licensed personnel-at your Palisades.facility. The evaluaticin visit is
~cheduled for the week of March 25, 1991. The requalification examinations
_. and the subsequent evaluation of the facility requalification program will be
'_performed in accordance with sections 601 through 604 of NUREG 1021, Operator
.-- Licensing Exami~er Standards, Revision 6.
You are encouraged-to ensure that your_ training staff and proposed examinees are familiar with these standards.
For the examiners to adequately prepare for this visit, it will be necessary for the faciJity to furnish the approved items listed in Enclosure 1, "Reference Material Requirements."
Failure to supply the reference material as required 'by Enclosure 1 may result in postponement of the examination.
The Chief Examiner may request that the facility submit_ a proposed examination for
- .use. duri~g the examination week in addition to the material requirements of
- Enclosure l. Submission of a proposed examination, even if_ requested, is optional. However, if a proposed examination is-submitted, those personnel
- participating in its development may become subject to the security restrictions described below.
Mr. D. Rogers has been advised of our re_ference
. - material requirements, whether a proposed examination is requested, arid where these items are to be sent.
You are requested to designate at least one employee to be a member of a joint NRC..;facility examination team. - The employee shall be an active SRO (per the r~quirements of 10 CFR 55.53(e) or (f)J from the Palisades Operations Department.
You are encouraged to designate a second employee from the_
training staff to be a member.of the examination team_.
This employee should be an acti~e SRO (per the requirements of 10 CFR 55.53(e) or (f)}, but may be a facility or INPO certified instructor. If desired and agreed to by the Chief *Examiner~ you may designate one additional employee from.the training staff with appropriate qualifications to be a member of the examination team.
In addition to these individuals, a simulator operator must be made available for scenario preview and validation during the on-site examination preparation week.
In some cases, it may be necessary to designate a simulator operator during the test item review period. This individual will also be subject to the examination security agreement~
9012120303 901130 PDR ADOCK 05000255 V
PNU
Consumers Power Company 2
NOV 3 O 1590 Any faci 1 ity representatives under the security agreement sha 11 be restricted from knowingly corrununicati.ng by any means the content or scope of the examination to unauthorized persons and from participating in any facility programs such as instruction, examination, or tutoring in which an identified requalification examinee(s) will be present. These restrictions shall apply from the day that the facility representative understands that he or she has specialized knowledge of the examination.
The Chief Examiner will determine when facility representatives have received specialized knowledge concerning the examination and require execution of an examination security agreement.
In most cases, the examinatibn team members will not be required to enter into an examination security agreement more than 60 days prior to the examination week.
The simulator operator will 'normally become subject to the requirements durin~ the examination prepar~tion ahd validatio~ week but, in some cases, this may occur as much as 30 days prior to the examination week to support operating test item review and revision.
The facility shall identify to the NRC 60 days prior to the examiantion administration date, the proposed operators, including crew composition, for the examination.
This i11formation should be provided by the facility training staff to the NRC 1 s Chief Examiner.
The faci 1 ity management i_s responsible for providing adequate space and accommodations to properly develop and conduct the examinations. Enclosure 2, 11Administration of Requalification Examinations, 11 describes our requirements for developing and conducting the examinations.
Mr. D. Rogers has also been
- informed of these requirements. Also, a facility operations management representative (as*a minimum, first level. above shift supervisor) should observe the simulatio.n facility exami.nation process at the site. *contains the 11 NRC Rules *and Guidance for Examinees 11 that will be**
in effect during the administration of the written examination.
The facility management is responsible for ensuring that all operators are aware of these rules.
This request is covered by Office of Management and Budget Clearance Number 3150-0101.which expires May 31, 1992.
The estimated average burden is 7.7 hour*s per response, including gathering, copying and mailing the required material. Send corrunents regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of. information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information and Records Management Branch, Division of Information Support Servjces, Office of.
- *Inforniafio*n Resources Manage-ment, *i:cs~ Nuclear ReguJatory Corrunission, Washington;D.C. 20555; and to the Paperwork Reduction Project (3150-0101),
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, NEOB-3019, Office of Management and Budget, Washingtori, D.C. 20503.
Consumers Power Company
- 3 NOV 3 0 1990 Thank you for your. consideration in this matter. If you have any questions on the evaluation process, please contact Mr. J. Lennartz at (708) 790-5651.
Enclosures:
- 1. Reference Material Requirements 2.. Admiriistration of Requalification
- Examinations
- 3.
NRC Rules and G~idance for Examinees cc w/enclosures:
Mr. D. VandeWalle, Director Nuclear Licensing Gerald B.* Slade, General Manager.
DCD/DCB (RIDS)*
OC/LFDCB Resident Inspector, Rill James. R. Padgett, Michigan Public Service Commission
... Michigan Department of Public Health Palisades;. LPM, NRR D. Rogers, Training Manager cc w/o enclosures:
B. Gallo, Branch Chief, OLB
- A. W._ Deagazio, Project Manager, NRR.
- B. Jorgensen, Section Chief, DRP.
~*
L~tz/cg ll/3o/90
. RI~
Burdick 11/1.v/90 Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY THOMAS M. BURDICK Thomas M. Burdick, Chief Operations Branch
ENCLOSURE 1 REFERENCE MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS Test items to support all aspects of the requalification examination must be provided to the NRC 60 days prior to the examination date.
All test items should be developed in accordance with the guidelines provided in sections 602 through 604 of NUREG 1021, Operator Licensing Examiner Standards, and their respective attachments..
For the first requiilification evaluation at the facility, the submittal*must contain at least:
TOO test items for use in the written examination.
They should* be equallj divided between the t~o sections of the examination and there must be at least 350 test items for use in each section.
75 job performance measures (JPMs) for use on the walk-through portion of the operating examination.
To the extent possible, approximately -
40% of the JPMs should evaluate -"in.plant" tasks (system/component operation outside the control room).
15 simulator s~enario~ of approximately 50 minutes each in length for use on the simulator portion of the operating examination for examinations administered in one week.
For subsequent req~alification examinations facilities are expected to make submittals reflecting progress toward the following targets over the next*5 years atter the initial evaluation *visit:*
A minimum of 700 test items for use in the written examinatiori equally divided between the two sections of the written examination and which cover all safety related. elements of the facility job task analysis (JTA).
The bank shall be dynamic in nature, in that at least 150 questions a year shall be reviewed, revised or generated.
New questions that ate developed should cover equipment and *system modification, recent industry and licensee events and procedural changes.
JPMs to evaluate each operator and senior operator safety related task
The JPM bank should expand at a rate of at least 10 JPMs per year until this goal is reached. It is estimated that 125~150 JPMs will be the final result.
Develop~ent of the questions associated with the JPMs shall also
~continue, such that there is a representative sample of que~tio~s given the knowledges associated with the task listed in the JTA.
ENCLOSURE 1 (Cont'd) 2 A bank of at least 30 simulator scenarios which reflect ~11 plausible or expected abnormal and emergency situations to.which controlroom operators are expected to respond or control. At least 5 scenarios per year should
. be generated until all aspects of the emergency ope.rating procedures are covered with sufficient variation in the type and scope of initiating events and level of degradation.
For alf requalification examination and evaluation visits, the facility shall:
submit an Examination Test Outline/Sample Plan which meets the requirements of ESP601, Attachment 2.
pr6vide the associated examination banks (written, simulator and JPM) and associated reference material.
At a minimum this shall include Technical Specifications, applicable plant operating, surveillance and admini'strative procedures, abnormal and.em.ergency operating procedures, emergency plan procedu'res and training material utilized in the requalification training {including student handouts and lesson plans).
Additional reference material may be requested by the Chief Examiner.
ENCLOSURE 2 ADMINISTRATION OF REQUALIFICATION EXAMINATIONS
- 1.
An evaluation of at least twelve facility licensed operators is required for a program evaluation. Normally the crew scheduled for requalification training during the period selected for the program evaluation should be selected. The sample will include other licensed operators who are not routinely performing shift duties or are not maintaining an active license per 10 CFR 55.53(e).
The restrictions on crew composition in the si~ulator are described in ES-601(C.1.b.) and ES-604.
, 2.
The simulator and simulator operator(s) shall be provided for examination development.
The date(s) and duration of time needed to develo~ the examinations wjll be agreed upon by tre chief examine'. and the.facility~
- 3.
The reference material used in the si~ulator will be reviewed by the chief examiner.
No material ~ill be use& th~t is solely used for iraining.
14.*
A single room shall be provided for completing Section B bf the written examinatiOn.
The location of this room and supporting* rest room
- facilities. sha 11 be such as to prevent* contact with a 11 other faci.l ity and/or contractor personnel for the du~ation of the examination., *
- 5.
Minimum spacing is required to ensure examination integrity and* wi'll be.*
evaluated by the chief examiner.
Minimum spac*ing consists of one examinee per table and a 3-foot space between tab~es.. N6 wall cha~ts, models, and/or other training materials shall be present in the examination room.
- 6.
Copies of reference material forSection s*'of the written examination shall be provided for each examinee.
The reference material will be revie~ed by the chi~f examiner and will* consist'of Technical Specifications, operating/abnormal procedures, administrative procedures, and Emergency Plans as available to the plant operators.
- 7.
Video taping capabilities may be utilized. The facility should contact the chief examiner for restrictions* related to its usage:
- 8.
An attempt will be made to distinguish between RO and SRO knowledge and abilities to the extent that.such a disttnction is supported by the facility training materials.
ENCLOSURE 2 (Cont'd) 2 9.'
Prudent scheduling of exam week activities is important to help alleviate undue stress on the operators.
Your training staff and the Chief Examiner should work very closely in formulating a schedule which ~oes not result in excessive delays in crews or individuals being administered their examination.
The following are some suggestions for structuring the exam activities to achieve this purpose:
0 0
0 0
Don't bring in crews or individuals well before their scheduled exam times.
When eiamining -0perators in grou~s, it is better to hold the group just completing their exam vice the group that are taking their exam later.
Following *simu.lator scenarios, the facility evaluators and NRC examiners should q~ickly deter~ine whether follow-up questioning is required, so that the crew may be released to talk among themselves about the scenario.
- Ensure that time-validation pf JPMs, particularly those performed in the simulator, is conducted accurately. A reasonable schedule should be established to prevent operators from waiting for simulator availability to complete their JPMs.
ENCLOSURE 3 NRC RULES AND GUIDANCE FOR EXAMINEES
- 1.
Use black ink or dark pencil ONLY to facilitate legible reproductions~
- 2.
Print your name in the blank provided on the cov~~ sheet of the examination.
- 3.
Fill in the date on the cover sheet of the examination, if necessary.
- 4.
Answer each question ori the examination. lf additional paper is required, use* only.the lined pa~er provided.~Y the examiner.
- 5.
Use abbreviations only if thei**are commonly used in facility literature.
- 6.
The point value for each question is indicated in parentheses after the qu~stion and can be used as a guide for the,depth of answer ~equired.
- 7.
Show all calculations, methods, or assumptions used to obtain an answer to a mathematical problem whether asked for in the question or not.
- 8.
Unless solicited, the location of referen~es need not be stated.
- 9.
Proportional gra.ding will be applied.
Any additional wrong information that is provided may ~count against.you. *For example, 'if a question is worth* one point and asks for four responses, each of whtch is ~orth 0.25 *
- points_, and you give. five responses, each response wi 11 be worth 0.20 points.* If one of your five responses is incorrect, 0.20 will be deducted and yot.ir total credit for that question will b.e 0.80, even though you may have listed the four correct responses in the answer key.
- 10. Partial credit may be given. Therefore, ANSWER ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION AND DO NOT LEAVE ANY ANSWERS BLANK.
Partial credit.will NOT be given rin*
multiple choice questions.
- 11. If parts of the examination.are not clear with respect to their intent, ask questions of the examin~r only.
- 12.
You mu~t sign the ~tatement on the cover sheet that indicates the work on the examination is your own and that you have not received or been given any assistance in completing the examinat.ion. This must be signed AFTER the examination has been completed.
- 13.
Rest room trips are to be limited and only one examinee af a time may leave.
You must avoid all contact with anyone outside the examination room to avoid even the appearance or possibility of examination compromise.
ENCLOSURE 3 (Cont'd) 2
- 14. Cheating on the examination would result in a revocation of your license and could result in more severe penalties.
- 15.
Each section of the examination is designed to tak~ approximately 90 minutes to complete.
You will be given two hours to complete each section to allow for thirty minutes of review.
- 16. The examination has been time validated by knowledgeable persons.
You should be aware that not every answer needs to be verified by consulting a reference, and excessive usage of reference material may cause you to
- not complete the examination in the allotted.time.
- 17.
Due to the existence of questions that will require all examinees to refer to the same indications or controls, patticular ~are must be taken to maintain individual examination security and avoid any possibility of compromise or appearance of cheating.
- 18.
When* you are finished and have turned in your completed examination, leave the examin,tion area.
~.,
.*.