ML20091K270
| ML20091K270 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Fermi  |
| Issue date: | 02/24/1984 |
| From: | John Miller GEORGIA POWER CO. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20091K262 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8406060469 | |
| Download: ML20091K270 (13) | |
Text
---
~~
s.
Enclo:<ure l i
INDUS'IRY EVAI2RTICN OF OPl!RA'1TNG SIMT EXPERDi:NCE mglieENIS i
BY:
J. H. Miller, Jr.
President, Georgia Power Cczupany For: NRC Ccanissioners
.llth Floor Conference Roan 1717 H. Street, Northwest Washington, D.C.
a February 24, 1984 8406060469 840525 PDR ADOCK 05000341
-A ppg
- l-Y-'N 6
i 3
'i Drsu.x aCN Good afternoon Chaianan Paladino, Camissicners, Staff M abers and fellow utilii:y representatives.
My nane is J.
H.
Miller, Jr. and I
~
As the President of appreciate the opportunity of addressing you today.
Georgia Power Capeny, I have a great professional and personal interest in the future of the nuclear industry.
Georgia Power has emmitted major resources to nuclear generation and currently has a two-unit BWR in camercial operation and a two-unit IWR under construction scheduled for a In addition, I serve as the Chaianan of the Association of 1986 startup.
Edison Illminating Ccmpanies ccximittee on power generation.
- Today, however, I an acting not only as a representive of Georgia ' Power Ccapany, but also as an industry representative for utilities with current N3C Operating License Applications on the subject 'of operating shift experience.
Se list of utilities which support our position is included in your handout.
At this point, I'd like to introduce several utility executives who have expertise associated with shift operating experience levels.
Hal Tucker, VP Duke Power Cordell Reed, VP Ccamonwealth Edison 1
i Don Schnell, VP Union Electric 1
>l.
- ===..--
= -
. =.
=
.z.
In addition, a nunber of executives frm utilities seeking an operating license are menbers of our audience, and several executives frm other
~
utilities who have interest in nuclear cperations are also present.
PERSPECTIVE f
Before presenting the industry position on operating shift experience, I l
want to put the issue in proper perspective.
Past operating experience is-Other e m ponents only one cmponent in the qualifications of operators.
to involve selection of very that all of us cannit substantial resources talented individuals to be operators, extensive formal classrom education and training, observation and participation at similar nuclese plants away fran our service areas, professional simulator training on normal evolutions to develop proficiency and on abnormal evolutions that can not be experienced at an operating plan 5, direct involvenent of our operations
~
personnel in own plant testing arid hot functionals, demanding written and oral exaninations. administered by both the utilities and NRC, extensive 4
requalification training including exminations and simulator retraining and continuing managenent involvanant to assure that-our qualification prograns provide high quality professional operators to help assure protection of the health and safety of the public and the enviroment.
To' highlight. our continuing extensive comittent to having very professional operators manipulate the controls of our plants, I will briefly
. describe sme of the elenents of Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle operator qualification program.
2 i
a
- a
,\\
~ ' '
~
~, ~ ~ ~ _ _ _
~..__,~__3_,,,_~-,
A 4'
&x m_,__
t mis program is typical. of NICL's.
Recently Georgia Power interviewed and tested more than 400 applicants for positions that lead to operator licensing.
Less than 8 percent of the applicants passed our selection shift testing and only 5 percent were interested in operator jobs after re;uirments 'were explained.
mis selection process' results in the.
But it is retention of people with the special talent to becane operators.
S e Plant Vogtle Training Center has only tne first step in a long process.
wre than 40,000 s;. ft. dedicated to. training.
This modern facility Even supports emprehensive classrom training programs for our operators.
Georgia Power's four year degreed engineers who are scheduled to be licensed for the startup receive more than 600 hours0.00694 days <br />0.167 hours <br />9.920635e-4 weeks <br />2.283e-4 months <br /> of classrom instruction in the fundmentals of nuclear theory and Vogtle Plant syst e operation.
Our progras are demanding and our exminations are tough.
To date we have reoved 30% of the initial class of degreed personnel fra our operations progres for failing to meet our st.andards.
'l Plant specific simulator training on the Vogtle simulator will have been used by Georgia Power to develop operator knowledge and proficiency during 4
the four years prior to fuel load.
Our Vogtle specific simulator has been in operation since mid 1982.
Extensive participation training 7:nd experience has started for our operators at similar operating p1a'nts.
These progras are structured and scheduled to ensure that our operators will be involved with the important aspects of hot experience.
Then, our operators return to Plant Vogtle to directly participate in the extremely valuable precperational testing progrm.. Operators manipulate controls of Vogtle i
3 i
I t
..a..
+-..,-, --
~
mm s
When squipnent is equipnent when plant systens are first placed in service.
Having started for the first time, probisus are encountered and resolved.
our operators involved with test supervisory personnel provides the startup experience to our operators and enables than to receive hands-on exp to becme int 5mately faniliar with Vogtle specific equipnent and systens.
Further, during this period the operators will use ard correct procedures In fact, our procedure developnent effort will which they helped develop.
our precedures by having our operators use than on the first check out simulator before they are used in the plant.
Like other utilities, Georgia Power feels that we have structured a very ccroprehensive qualification progran for our operators.
When espleted, Georgia Power will have operators who know how to manipulate Vogtle
' to produce power safely and efficiently.
With that perspective, I an now going to present the industry position concerning the much narrower issue of operating shift experience.
BAOGCUND During the past few months, the NRC expressed concern over the operati shift experience levels for Near Tem Operating License (NICL) plants.
4 i.
i 7 Z.
ZTi l ~ ' ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' '
~~%
~ ~ ~ ~
-~"~'~-~~ZT
~~~ ~ - - - - - -
t (SLIDE 1 BACKGRCUND)
Such concerns led to a NRC staff meeting with the NICLS on January 26, As a result of that meeting 33 representatives fra 21 utilities met.
1984.
at INEC in Atlanta on February 2 to discuss operating shift experience.
During this meeting an Industry Work Group was formed which consisted of 1
'Ibe m ss cn of the Industry Work Group i i representatives frm 15 utilities.
was to define cmponents of operating shift experience.:,nd establish acceptable methods of meeting this experience. 'Ibe group also reviewed the availability of the industry's licensed personnel and evaluated the I
potential effects of implementing the NRC staff objectives, provided in the January 26 meeting in Bethesda.
After accmplishing its mission the working ~ group presented its findings to representatives of the NIOL w w7ies.
PURICSE (SLIDE 2 PLN)
My purpose in addressing you today is to present the industry position on the level and type of operating shift experience required for the safe In order to do startup and initial operation of a nuclear generating plant.
j I will discuss the various considerations exanined by the group in
- this, light of the NRC Staff Cbjectives.
5 l
ll
-e w==~ -
t-1ew-
-w
+*--T-
-%ye
--em ew Tw- - * *
-u--my-m e
g*-;---1
-twwr-D--y
^
here are several general areas which I will address in considering shift experience.
R ese are:
first, elsnents of experience; second, types of nuclear experience and weighting factors;
- third, operating shift experience rquirements, and finally, evaluation of staff objectives.
PEANT SHIFT EXPERIENCE CINSIDERATIONS (SLIDE 3 EE2MDFIS OF PIANT EXPERIENCE)
A way to describe shift experience necessary to startup a nuclear power plant and place it in' service is to consider five elements of experience.
First, licensed manbers of the operating shift must have experience with power plant machinery and controls; but it is not necessary for that type of Much of knowledge and e.xperience to be gained only in nuclear power plants.
the equipent in a large nuclear power plant is very similar to that used in other power plants. Very valuable power plant quipent experience can also be gained through preoperational testing of quipent at the operators' own nuclear power plant.
Military plant experience also provides a good base for hands-on equipent experience.
A seccmd elenent of experience, which-is considered essential ~is knowledge of the plant-specific layout and design paraneters.
Participation i
j in the preoperational test progran using plant specific procedures and
}
equipent is an excellent way to assere thorough plant and equignent knowledge. h is is the preferred way to obtain such experience.
6 a
i i
A
'~
w-
--y+
we
-g-
--ew-,
,wmc
$-w y-%g=
--n-sy-,-
y-yyy--%we
,wyey
~
@ird, licensed operators should be able to respond quickly and
- effectively to plant transients.
We believe that the most effective way shift crews can aquire this skill is through the use of plant simulators.
We reason is that many transients can be simulated and resimulated in a short time; unlike " hot" plant experience where, in one year, relatively '
few transients might occur while personnel are on shift. Even time spent on a non-plant specific simulator can provide valuable experience in reacting,
-to transients.
Furthermore, simulators are the only way operators can be
- trained to react to and correctly handle many transients which would not be possible to schedule during plant operaticn.
Fourth, previous experience in a highly-disciplined, tightly-controlled environnent is important in assuring shift cuugterce.
Licensed personnel should aquire and denonstrate skill working with.'n the confines of a i
tightly-controlled plant, including technical specifications, procedures, quality assurance and radiation protection. Obviously, working on shift at an operating ccanercial plant would establish this experfence.
But this is not the only way; experience can also be gained at military and other reactors.
Fifth, an SRO must have supervisory experience in managing events and people. Although this experience can be obtained at a nuclear plant, it can i
also be obtained in the military, and to a great extent, fran other plant
{
l supervisory experience.
j 7
4
+
1 i
4, A
--m s.._,*=wm.-
y-
.,yy-,
m.
q- - - -
p.
__y 3sg 4-.. -
Finally, these elenents of plant experience when ecmbined in a shift This shift tem experience tean provide effective nuclear shift managenent.
concept is much preferred to the one-man concept of plant " experts".
NUCIZAR EXPERID3CE AND %EIG2 RING FACTORS (SLIDE 4 -TYPES OF NUCLZAR EXPERIDICE AND WEIG2FING FACICRS)
We believe that sme types of experia.nce are more effective in helping to provide operating ecmpetence than others.
To appropriately c m bine different types of nuclear experience, the Industry Working Group developed The formula weighting factors and a method of applying then to experience.
is:
Nuclear Experience = (Type of Nuclear Experience ) x (Weighting Factor) i 4
Ibliowing my presentation Don Schnell will present the details of and background of the weighting factors.
The Working Group considered the full range of experience and the more significant types of nuclear experie.tx:e were listed on this slide.
..f a
I 8
i
OPERATING SHIET EXPERHNCE ic:wn6 i
(Slide 5 - CPERATING SHIIT EXPERIDCE F4Nm,ENIS)
Slide 5 shows the experience that the License Applicants consider would help assure protection of the health and safety of the public and envirornent.
Se experience figures were derived in part fran appropriate j '
-elenents of ANS 3.1-1981 supplemented to provide a practical solution to the
" Hot" experience cencern.
It requires a mini: nun of 13 years total power plant experience and six years nuclear plant experience on each shift.
By applying experience factors that Mr. Schnell will describe, the industry's position is that each shift will have the -experience ccupetence necessary to provide a high level of operator proficiency. Further, as the unit operates over time, the people on shift will' becane more and more experienced. Beir performance will, in the normal cburse of business, be monitored by the plant management so that their ecmpetence should improve with operation of the unit.
SHDT ADVISOR i
For many of the near term plants, the NRC has required that an experienced advisor be assigned to each shift.
21s advisor was to augment the utility organization until suitable experisce could be developed by the utility staff. To strengthen the advisor' role and to provide an approach to
- replace advisors with utility personnel, the industry has developed the following.
9 4
>-e s
yw p
w m-e e
n-g g-y
,g-g-
l-
.).
Advisors will have standard qualifiestions which include previous " Hot" licensed cxperience, and utility training on the unit to be started up.
They will be There will be a clear definition of the advisor's duties.
experienced people and will receive formal training as required, with specific traiping about their duties and responsibilities, a,nd the shift crews will also receive training on the adviser's duties and May will not perform, licensed operator duties unless i
responsibilities.
l I
Mr. Schnell will also present, they are licensed on that specific reactor.
the details of the advisor qualifications and duties.
EVAIDATICN OF STAFF CEECTIVES (SLICE 6 - 1EC STAFF CBJECTIVES) he Industry Working Group has reviewed the NRC Staff Objectives and considered their potential-impact on the industry.
We do not agree that meeting these objectives would necessarily improve.the safety margin of the.
industry's plants.
(SLIDE 7 - rerrf.- OF NRC STAFF CBJECTIVES) in a 7.srge We believe. that meeting the staff objectives would result movenent of licensed personnel fra operating plants to NICL plant:, which would obviously dilute the. operating plants' level of shift expertise.
Alternatively, the movement of sme of the license candidates in training at NICLs to operating - plants for the purpose of undertaking a
long license / experience progran would cause those candidates to miss important t
.i'j 10
- a
'i y
~-^
t
. portions of preoperational testing at their home plant.
Bis loss o'f experience would in our opinion reduce the margin of preoperational test safety for plants in startup.
De overall margin of safety for both operating and startup plants would therefore be adversely impacted.
Also, plant startups could be delayed by the need to acquire, train, and license people not previously identified to fill the shift experience levels mis would recult in very large capital specified in the staff objectives.
costs without apparent offsetting benefits.
SIM4ARY In surmary the owners and operators of nuclear power plants with current i
NRC Operating License Applications are cannitted to providing a high level mis will' help assure safe operation of of on-shift operating experience.
our plants.
(SLIDE 8 - SUNARY)
We endorse stated experience requirenants shown in the previous slide #5 which Mr. Schnell will discuss.
In addition, we recognize the need for defining the types of experience contributing to fulfilling such l
requirements and we plan to use weighting factors as Mr. Schnell will also discuss.
11 l
l l'
l
- p L>
y-i' W-H**
r-
- A -m---
s r.__.._
9w p.___.
,.,-,7,m, m.
3 99
- "T-Fr
$"rW
..s L.
We plan to provida two SRos per shift, ona of whm has at icrst six months of " Hot" participation.
For those plants that cannot provide the
" Hot" participation requirenents for SRCs, a qualified advisor would. be used until such time as their shift personnel are qualified.
Of course, these i
- advisors would be trained as Mr. Schnell will describe.
%e shift crews i
i will also be trained on the duties and responsibilities of such advisor.
i Further, we would like to eliminate advisors by meeting the stated shift-experience level:: with our own people within three years of acceptance of this position by the NRC.
t
'Ib conclude, each of us has a large investment in our facilities.
We are addressing today the subject of' operating shift experience.
Bis is only one wugent in the lengthy,'emplex, an'd dananding job of qualifying our operators.
Each of us is detemined to place these units in operation safely. We believe that the position we have outlined' today will acc mplish our mutual goals and will result in improved safety margins, and help assure the protection of the health and safety of the public.
f Don Schnell V. P. Nuclear, Ohion Electric Cmpany will present Nuclear Operat.ing Experience Requirenents, Plant Experience Weighting Factors and l
the Shift Advisor qualifications.
l l;-
g i
)
?
l e
e
e~-
---ww-
..