IR 05000220/2018301

Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000220/2018301

ML19056A085
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	02/21/2019
From:	Diane Jackson Operations Branch I
To:	Bryan Hanson Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
Jackson D
References
Download: ML19056A085 (9)

Text

ary 21, 2019

SUBJECT:

NINE MILE POINT NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1 - INITIAL OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORT 05000220/2018301

Dear Mr. Hanson:

On December 12, 2018, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an examination at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 1. The enclosed examination report documents the examination results, which were discussed on January 25, 2019, with Messrs.

Julian Thompson, James Tsardakas, Gregory Elkins, and other members of your staff.

The examination included the evaluation of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, six applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 11.

The license examiners determined that all 12 of the applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on January 25, 2019.

No findings were identified during this examination. This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-220 License No. DPR-63 Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000220/2018301 w/Attachment: Supplementary Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

SUMMARY

ER 05000220/2018301; December 3-7, 2018, December 12, 2018; Nine Mile Point Nuclear

Station (Nine Mile Point), Unit 1; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

Four NRC examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for reactor operator licenses, six applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Nine Mile Point, Unit 1. The facility licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 11. The written examination was administered by the facility on December 12, 2018. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on December 3-7, 2018.

The NRC examiners determined that all 12 of the applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings were identified.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all 12 license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, Personal Qualification Statement, and NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee. The examiners also audited three of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications. This audit focused on the applicants experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.2 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On December 12, 2018, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 12 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on December 18, 2018.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating examination to all 12 applicants on December 3-7, 2018. The three applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, in a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. The six applicants seeking an instant senior reactor operator license participated in three dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks. The three applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of five system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks.

b. Findings

All 12 of the applicants passed all parts of the operating test. For the written examinations, the reactor operator applicants average score was 93.33 percent and ranged from 92 to 94.66 percent, and the senior operator applicants average score was 91.22 percent and ranged from 88 to 93 percent. Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG-1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis for six questions that met these criteria and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on January 25, 2019, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

The licensee submitted one post-examination comment, reanalyzing the expected technical specification action requirements for Event 5 in Simulator Scenario 5. The NRC reviewed the facilitys post-exam comment submittal package and generally agreed with the facility analysis and graded the operating test technical specification action statements in accordance with this assessment. The text of the written examination questions, the operating test, and the licensees post-examination comments with the NRC resolutions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment 1. In accordance with current NRC policy the release of these documents will be delayed for two years.

.3 Initial Licensing Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The facility licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 11. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The facility licensee submitted both the written and operating examination outlines on July 3, 2018. The chief examiner reviewed the outlines against the requirements of NUREG-1021, and provided comments to the licensee. The facility licensee submitted the draft examination package on September 19, 2018. The chief examiner reviewed the draft examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations and provided comments during the week of November 5, 2018. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution on November 28, 2018.

b. Findings

The NRC approved the initial examination outline and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The examiners determined that the written and operating examinations initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings were identified.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development and during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021, Revision 11 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

The chief examiner presented the examination results to Messrs. Julian Thompson, Director Site Operations and James Tsardakas, Director Site Training, and other members of the licensee's management staff on January 25, 2019. The licensee acknowledged the findings presented.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

4OA7 Licensee-Identified Violations

None ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

G. Elkins, Operations Training Manager

P. Isham, Exam Developer

I. Van Brocklin, Initial License Training Lead

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

NONE

Opened and Closed

NONE

Closed

NONE

Discussed

NONE