ML18065B248

Notice of Violation from Insp on 980325-0401.Violation Noted:On 980121 & 980128,licensee Annual Licensed Operator Category B Written Exam Constructed w/look-up Questions & 10 of 23 Questions Considered Simple Knowledge Level Questions

ML18065B248
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	05/18/1998
From:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
Shared Package
ML18065B247	List: ML18065B246 ML18065B248 ML18065B249
References
50-255-98-04, 50-255-98-4, NUDOCS 9805220402
Download: ML18065B248 (2)

Text

NOTICE OF VIOLATION Consumers Power Company Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant Docket No. 50-255 License No. DPR-20 During an NRC inspection conducted from March 25 through April 1, 1998, one violation of NRC requirements was identified. In accordance with the "General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions," NUREG-1600, the violation is listed below:

10 CFR 55.54(i-1) requires that the facility licensee shall have in effect an operator requalification program which must as a minimum, meet the requirements of 55.59(c).

10 CFR 55.59(c) stated, in part, thatin lieu of paragraphs (c) (2), (3)~ and (4) of this section, the Commission may approve a program developed by using a systems

• approach to training [SA l].

The NRC approved Palisade's SAT based licensed operator requalification training program which required the use of NU REG 1021, "Operator Licensing* Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Section ES-602, "Requalification Written Examinations."

Section ES-602, Attachment 1 does not allow the use of direct look-up or memory

_knowledge leyel questions on open-reference examinations.

7.. ~.

• ~ i'*.. -

Contrary to the above, on January 21, 1998, and again on January 28, 1998, the licensee's annual licensed operator Category B written examination was constructed as follows: nine of the 23 questions were determined to be direct look-up questions, primarily because they required simple memory recall of the procedure in Which to find

• the answer; ten of the 23 questions were considered simple knowledge level questions because they required simple recognition, or recall of facts or specifics, rather than demonstration of understanding by using the knowledge to address a problem. The administration of the Category B examination with 19 of 23 questions in a direct look-up or memory format failed to comply with the licensee's NRC approved SAT based licensed operator requalification training program requirements and resulted in administration of a non-comprehensive written examination.

This is a Severity Level IV Violation (Supplement I).

Pursuant to the provisions of 1 O CFR 2.201, Consumers Power Company is hereby required to submit a written statement or explanation to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATIN:

Document Control Desk, Washington D.C. *20555 with a copy to the Regional Administrator, Region Ill, 801 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois 60532-4351, and a copy to the NRC Resident Inspector at the facility that is the subject of this Notice, within 30 days of the date of the letter transmitting this Notice of Violation (Notice). This reply should be clearly marked as a "Reply to a N~ice of Yiol~!!_on" and sh_o!Jld includ~ for eafh vi9lati9n:. O )_the_ re~~Qn_for_~tl~ violatio!11_9_!:,jf _______ _

contested, the basis for disputing the violation, (2) the corrective steps that have been taken and the results achieved, (3) the corrective steps that will be taken to avoid further violations, and (4) the date when full compliance will be achieved. Your response may reference or include previous docketed correspondence, if the correspondence adequately ad.dresses the

• required response. If an adequate reply is not received within the time specified in this Notice, 9805220402 980518 PDR ADOCK 05000255 G

PDR

Notice of Violation 2

an order or a Demand for Information may be issued as to why the license should not be modified, suspended, or revoked, or why such other action as may be proper should not be taken. Where good cause is shown, consideration will be given to extending the response time.

If you contest this enforcement action, you should also provide a copy of your response to the Director, Office of Enforcement, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

Because your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR), to the extent possible, it should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be placed in the PDR without redaction. If personal privacy, or proprietary information is necessary to provide an acceptable response, then please provide a bracketed copy of your response that identifies the information that should be protected and a redacted copy of your response that deletes such information. If you request withholding of such material, you mu.st specifically identify the portions of your response that you seek to have withheld and provide in detail the bases for your Claim of Withholding (e.g., explain why the disclosure of information will create an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or provide the information required by 10CFR 2.790(b) to support a request for withholding confidential commercial or financial information). If safeguards inf9rmation is necessary to provide an acceptable response, please provide the level of protection described in 10 CFR. 73.2-1. *

• Dated at Lisle, Illinois, this 18th day of May 1998