ML18058A485

Forwards Info in Preparation of Operator & Senior Operator Licensing Exams Scheduled for Wk of 920921

ML18058A485
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	06/03/1992
From:	Wright G NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Slades G CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.)
References
NUDOCS 9206090054
Download: ML18058A485 (13)

Text

JUN

• 3 1992 Docket No.

50~255 consumers Power Company ATTN:

Gerald B. Slade General Manager Palisades ~uclear Generating Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043

SUBJECT:

OPERATOR AND SENIOR OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATIONS

\\..

In a telephone conversation between Mr. J. Lennartz, and Mr. B. Heimsatch arrangements were made for the administration of licensing e_xaminations at the.* Palisades Nuclear Plant..

The written and operating examinations are scheduled for the week.

of September 21, 1992..

In order f.or us to meet this schedule, it will be necessary for the facility to furnish the appro~ed reference material listed in, "Reference Material Req\\.iirements for Reactor/Senior Reactor Operator Licensing Examinations" at least 60 days prior to the examination date.

Any substandard or incomplete material or delay in receiving approved properly.bound and indexed

• reference-material may result in a delay.in administering the examinations.

Mr. Heimsatch has been advised of our reference material requirements, the number.of reference.-material sets that are ~equired, and.the examiners' names and addresses where each*

set is to be mailed.

The fac_ili ty management is responsible.for providing adequate space and accommodations in order to properly conduct the written \\

examinations., *"Requirements for Administration of Written Examinations," describes our requirements for conducting these examinations~ Mr. Heimsatch has aiso b~en informed-of these requirements.

Enciosure 3 contains the Rules and Guidelines that will be in

• effect. during the administration of the written examination~

The-facility management-is responsible for ensuring that all applicants are aware of th~se rules.

- ---*---*~*~----

Consumers Power Company 2

JUN - 3 1992 The facility staff review of the written exaJUination will be

.conducted in*accordance with requirements specified in

• Enclosure 4, i*Requirements for Facility Review of. Written*

Examinations. i*

Mr. Heimsatch has been informed of these requirements.

To better document simulator examinations, the Chief Examiner will have the facility simulator operator record predetermined plant conditions (i.e., plant pressure, temperature, pressurizer level, etc.), for each simulator scenario~ The applicants will be responsible* for providing this information with any appeal of a simulator operating examination.

Therefore, the facility training staff should z:etain*the simulator examination scenario information until all applicants who took the examinations have either passed the operating examination~ accepted the denial of their license, or filed an appeal.

Preliminary rea~tor operat~r ~hd s~nior reactor operator license.

applications should be submitted at least 30 days before the first examination dates so that we will be able to review the training and experience of the candidates, *process the medical certifications, and prepare final examiner assignments after

• applicant eligibility has been determined.

If the applications are not received at least 30 days before the examination dates, it is likely that a postponement will be riecessary.

~inal sighed applications certifying* that all training has been completed

• shall be submitted at least 14 days before the first examination date~

However, *if processing of a.license appli6atioQ is not completed in time to make a determination of applican"t; eligibility, the candidate shall not be permitted.to sit for. the e,xamination.

Therefore, it is recommended that license applications be provi~ed as ~oon as possible to ensure an appropriate level of reyiew.

• This request is covered by Off ice of Management and. Budget

• clearance Number 3150-0101 which expires May.31, 1992.

The estimated average burden is 7.7,hours per response, including

• gathering, xeroxing.and mailing the required mc:iterial.

• Send comments 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 Services,_ Office of Information Res.ources Management, u. s. **Nuclear Regulatory

. Commissio.n, 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, Washington, o.c.

20503.

Consumers Power Company

• 3 JUN - 3 1992 Thank you for your consideration in this mat~er. If you have any questions regarding the examination procedures. and. requirements,.

please conta9t Jay Lennartz at (708) 790-5651.

Sincerrt~. A

/!!L:t/;r:;;i~t.

9perations Branch

Enclosures:

1.

Reference Material Requirements for Reactor/Senior Reactor Operator Licensing Examinatiqns

2.

Requirements for Administration of Written Examinations

3.

.NRC Rules and Guidelines For*

. Written Examina.tions * *

4.

Requirements for Facility Review of Written.Examinations.

cc w/enclosures:.

David P. Hoffman, Vice President Nucle~r Operations P. M. Donnelly, Safety and Licensing Director

• DCD/DCB (RIDS)

OC/LFDCB R~sident Inspe~tor, RIII James R. Padgett, Michigan Public Service Commission

• . Michigan Department of Public Health SRI,.Big Rock Point D. Roger*s, Plant Training Manager cc w/o enclosures:

B. E. Holian, Project Manager, NRR R. M. Gallo, Branch Chief, OLB B. L. Jorgel)s.en,. Secti.on Chief, ORP Chief.

1.

ENCLOSURE 1 REFERENCE MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR REACTOR/SENIOR REACTOR OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATIONS Existing learning objectives, Job Performance Measures and

• . lesson plans (including* training Jnanuals, plant orientation manual, system.descriptions, reactor theory, *thermodynamics, etc.)

A copy of the facility Job and Task Analysis (JTA),

specifying the knowledges and abilities required of an operator at the facility.

Each particular knowledge and/or.*

ability.will include an importance rating correlating it to ensuring the health and the safety of the public.

If a JTA is not furnished, the Knowledges and Abitities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators, NUREG~1122 (1123) will be used to establish content validity for the examination.

All Job Performance Measures (JPMs) used to ascertain the competence of the.operators in performing tasks within the control r6om complex and, as identified in the facility JTAs, outside of the control room, i.e., local operations.

Training materials should indlude all substantive written material used for preparing applicants for initial RO and SRO licensing.

The written material should include learning

• obje6tives and the details presented during lectures, rather than outlines~ Training materials should be identified by.

plant and.unit, bound, and indexed.

FAILuRE TO PROVIDE COMPLETE, PROPERLY BOUND AND INDEXED PLANT REFERENCE MATERIAL MAY RESULT iN THE RETURN OF THE MATERIAL TO THE PERSON WHO IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL.OF CORPORATE MANAGEMENT WHO.

IS RESPONSIBLE. FOR PLANT OPERATIONS (E.G., VICE PRESIDENT OF NUCLEAR OF NUCLEAR OPERATIONS).

ACCOMPANYING THE MATERIAL

• WILL BE A COVER LETTER*. EXPLAINING THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE REFERENCE MATERIAL AND THE FACT THAT THIS WAS THE REASON THE.

• EXAMINATIONS WERE CANCELLED OR POSTPONED.

Training materials which include the following should be provided.

System *descriptions including descriptions of all operationally relevant flow paths, components, controls and instrumentation.

system training material *should draw parallels/to the actual procedures used for

.operating the_ applicable system~

OPERATOR LICENSING ENCLOSURE 1 (Cont'd).

Complete and operationally useful descriptions of all safety-system interactions and, wh~re available, BOP system interactions under emergency and abnormal conditions, including *consequences of anticipated operator error, maintenance error, and equipment

.failure.

Training mate~ial used to clarify and strengthen understanding of emergency operating procedures.

2.

Complete Procedure Index (including surveillance procedures,.

etc.)

3.

All administrative procedures (as applica.ble to reactor operation or safety)

4.

All integrated plant procedures (normal or general operating

• procedures) * *

5.

All emergency procedures (emergency instructions, abnormal or special procedures)

6.

Standing orders (important orders that are safety-related and may supersede the regular procedures)

7.

Surveillance procedures (procedures that are *run frequen_tly,.

Le., weekly or that can be run on the simulator) a~

• Fuel-handlirig and core-loading procedures~ (initial core-loading procedure, when appropriate)

9.

All annunciator/alarm procedures

10.

Radi~tion p~otection manual (radiation.control manual or procedures)

• 11.

Emergency plan implementing procedures

12.

Technical Specifications (and interpretations, if available) for all units for which licenses*are sought.

13.

System operating procedures

14.

Piping and instrumer:itation *diagrams, electrical single-line diagrams~ or flow diagrams

~5:

Technical Data Book, and/or plant curve information as used by operators and facility precautions, limitations, and set points (PLS) for the facility

OPERATOR LICENSING ENCLOSURE 1 (Cont'd)

16.

Questions and answers specific to the* facility training program which may be used in the written or *operating examinations (voluntary by facili.ty licensee)

17.

The following on the plant reference simulation.facility

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

h.

i.

j.

List of all preprogrammed initial conditions List of all preset malfunctions with a clear.

identification number.

The list should include cause

. and ef.fect inforniation.

Specifically, for each malfunction a concise description 'of the expected

. result, or range of results, that will. occ::ur. upc:m.

implementation should be provided.

Additionally, *an indication of which annunciators are to be initially expected should be given.

A description of simulator failure capabilities for

.valves, breakers, indicators and alarms Where the capability exists, an explanation of the ability to vary the severity of a particular malfunction shall be provided, i.e.,* ability to vary the size of a given LOCA or steam leak, or the ability to cause a slow fa~lure of a component such as.a feed pump, turbine generator or major valve (e.g., drifting shut of a main feedwater control valve)

An identification of modeling conditions/problems that may impact the examination Identification. of any known performance test discrepancies not yet corrected Identification of difference's* between the simulator and the reference plant's cont~ol room Copies of facility generated scenarios that expose the applicants to *situations of degraded pres~ure control (PWR), degraded heat removal capability (PWR and BWR) and containment challenges (PWR and BWR) may be.

provided (voluntary by licensee)

Simulator instructors manual (voluntary by licensee)

Des6ription of the scenarios used for the training class (voluntary by licensee)

18.

Additional material required by the examiners to develop examinations that meet. the requirements of these standards and the regulations.

OPERATOR LICENSING ENCLOSURE 1 (Cont'd)

The above reference material shall be approved, final issues and.

shall be so mark.ed.

1If a plant has not finalized some of the "

material, the Chief Examiner shall verify with the facility that the most comple_te, up-to-date material is available and* that agreement has been reached with the.licensee for limiting changes before the administration of the examination.

All procedures and reference material shall be bound with appropriate indices or tables of contents so that they can be used _efficiently.

Failure to provide complete, properly bound and indexed plant reference material could result ib cancellation or rescheduling of the examinations.

1.

2.

3.

5.

6.

7.

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F

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e e

ENCLOSURE 2 REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMINIS_TRATION OF WRITTEN. EXAMINATIONS A single room shall be provided for administration of the written examination.

The location of.this room and supporting restroom facilities shall be such as to prevent

-contact with all other facility and/or contractor personnel during the written examination.

If necessary, the facility should make arrangement for the.use of a suitable room at a local school, motel,* or other building.

Obtaining this room is the responsibility.of _the licensee.

Mi~i~um.spacing is required to ensure,examination integrity

• as determined *by. the.Chief Examiner.

Minimum spacing should be one applicant per table, with a three-foot space between tables.

suitable arrangements shall be made by the facility if the applicants are to have lunch, coffee or other refreshments.

These arrangements shall comply with Item 1 above and shall be.reviewed by the examiner and/or prpctor.

The facility licensee shall provide pads of 8-1/2 by 11 inch lined paper-in unopened packages for each applicant's use in

-completing the.examination.

The examiner shall distribute these pads t6 the a~pllcants as needed.

Applicants may bring pens, *pencils, calculators or slide rules into the examination room.

Only black_ink or dark pencils should be used for writing ans~ers to questions.

The license*e shall provide one set of steam tables for each applicant.*.* The examiner shall distribute the steam tabies to the applicants~

No wall charts, models, and/or other fraining materials shall b~ present in the examination room.

No other equipment or reference material shall.be allowed unless provided by the examiner.

The facility staff shall be provided with a copy of the

~ritten examination and answer key after the-last candidate has handed in his written examination.

The facility staff shall have five working days to provide formal written comments with supporting doGumentation regarding.written examiriatiori questions and answers to the Chief Examiner..

e e

ENCLOSURE 3 PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS 1..

Check identification badges~

2.

Pass out examinations and all handouts.

Remind applicants not to review examination until instructed to do so.

READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS VERBATIM: -

During the administration of this examination the follo~ing rules apply:

1.

Cheating on the examination means.an automatic denial of your application* and could result in more *evere penalties.

2.

After the examination has been completed, you must sign the*

statement on the cover sheet indicating that the work is your own and you have not received or given assistance in completing the examination.

This must.be done after you complete the exa!llination.

READ THE FOLLOWING.INSTRUCTIONS:*

1.

2.

3 *.

4.

5.

6.

Restroom trips are to be limited and only one.applicant at a time may leave.

You must avoid all contacts with anyone outside the examination room to avoid even the appearance.or possibility of cheating.

Use black ink or dark pencil only to facilitate,legible reproductions~

Print your name in the blank provided in the upper right-

. hand corner of the examin_ation cover sheet and each answer

• sheet.

Mar~ your answers on the answer sheet provided.

USE ONLY THE PAPER PROVIDED AND DO NOT WRITE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE PAGE.

Before you turn in your ex9mination, consecutively number each answer sheet,.

Use abbreviations only if. they are commonly used in facility literature.

Avoid using symbols such as < or > signs to avoid*a simple transposition error resulting in an incorrect ans~er.* Write it out.

LICENSE EXAMINATIONS ENCLOSURE 3

7.

The point value for each question is: indicated in [brackets]

after the question.

8.

Show all calculations, *methods, or assumptions used to.

obtain an answer. to any short answer que.stions.

9.

Partial* credit' may he given.

Therefore,. ANSWER ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION AND DO NOT LEAVE ANY ANSWER *BLANK.

Part.ial credit will NOT be given on multiple choice questions.

10.

Proportional grading 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 which is work 0.25 points, and you give five responses, each of your* responses will be worth 0.20 points.

If one of your five responses is incbrrect, 0~20 will be deducted and your total credit for that questions will be 0.80 instead of 1.00 even though you g6t the four correct answers.

11.. If the* intent of a question is uncle*ar, ask questions of the examiner only~

12. *when turning ih your examination, assemble the completed.

examination with.examination questions, examination aids and answer sheets.* Iri additi6n, turn in all scrap paper.

13.

Ensure all. info~mation you wish to have evaluated as p~rt of your answer is on your* answer sheet.

Scrap paper will be disposed of immediately following the examination.

14.

To pass the examination, you must achieve a grade of 80% or greater:-

• 15. *.There is a time limit of four (4)_ hours for completion of the examination~

16.

When you are done and have turned in.your examination, leave the examination area (DEFINE.THE AREA).

If you are found in*

this area while the examination is still in progress, your license may be denied or revoked.

/

ENCLOSURE 4 REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITY REVIEW OF WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS

1.

• At the option of the Section.Chief, the facility may review the written examination up to two weeks prior to its administration.

This review may take place at the facility or in the Regional off ice.

The Chief Examiner will coordinate the details of the review with the facility.

An NRC examiner will always be present during the review.

Wh.enever this option. of. exam.j.nation review is utiiized, the facility reviewers will sign the following statement* prior to being allowed access to the.examination.

The examination or written notes will NOT be retained by the facility.

a.

Pre-Examination Security Agreement I

acknowledge that I have acquired specialized knowledge concerning the examination scheduled for at as of the date of my signature below.

1-agree that.I will not knowiriglydivulge any information concerning this examination to any unauthorized persons.

I Understand :that I am not to

.participate in any instruction involving those.

applicants scheduled to be administered the above examination from this date until after the.examination has been administered.

I further understand that violation of the cohditions of this agreement may result in the examination being cancelled and/or enfordement action against myself or~the facility licensee by whom.I am employed or represent.

Signature/Date.

In addition, the facility staff reviewers will sign the following statement after the written examination has been administered.

REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITY REVIEW OF WRITTEN EXAMINATION (Cont'd)

b.

Post-Examination Security Agreement I_

.did.not; to the best of my knowledge, divulge*any*inforrilation concerning the examinations administered during the week of at

• to any unauthorized persons.

I did not participate in providing any instruction to those applicants who were administered the.examination from the date I entered into this security agreement until the.completion of examination administration.

Signature/Date

2.

Rega~dless Of whether the above examination review option is exercised, immediately following the administration of the written examination, the facility staff shall be provided a marked-up copy of the examination and the answer key.* The copy of the written examination shall.include pen and ink changes made to questions during th~ examination administration.

If the facility did not review *the examination prior to its administration, they. will have five (5) ** working days from the day of the written examination to submit formal comments.

If the facility reviewed the examination prior to its administration, any.additional comments must be given to

~n examiner prior to his/her l~aving the ~ite at the end.of

• the week of the written examination administration.

In either case, the comments will be addressed to the responsible Regional Office by the highest onsite level of corporate management for plant operations, e.g., Vice Pre.sident for Nuclear Operations.

A copy of the subini ttal will.be forwarded to the Chief Examiner,* as appropriate.

Comments not submitted within the required time frame will be.considered.for inclusion in the grading process. on*a case-by case*basis by the Regional Office Section Chief.

S.hould the comment submi tt.al *.deadline not be met, a long delay in grading the examinations may occur.

3.

The following format.should be adhered to for submittal of specific. comments:.

. a.

Listing of NRC Question, answer and reference

b.

Facility comment/recommendation

c.

Reference (to support facility comment)

R;EQU!REMENTS FOR FACILITY.REVIEW OF WRITTEN EXAMINATION {Cont'd)

.NOTES:

1..

No change to the examination will be made without submittal of a reference to sµpport the facility comment.

Any supporting documentation that was not previ_!Qu~iy :supplied,*' should be provid.ed.

2.

Comments made without a concise facility recommendation will not be addressed.

4.

A two-hour post examination review may be held a:t the discretion of the Chief Examiner.

If this review is held,

.the facility staff should be informed that only written-co:mn\\ents that are properly supported will be considered in the gradin*g of the examination.