ML20127H986
| ML20127H986 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vogtle  |
| Issue date: | 05/06/2020 |
| From: | Eugene Guthrie Division of Reactor Safety II |
| To: | Yox M Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| References | |
| 52-025/20-301 | |
| Download: ML20127H986 (12) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II 245 PEACHTREE CENTER AVENUE NE, SUITE 1200 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-1257 May 6, 2020 Mr. Michael Yox Regulatory Affairs Director Southern Nuclear Operating Company 7835 River Road, Bldg. 140, Vogtle 3&4 Waynesboro, GA 30830
SUBJECT:
VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT UNIT 3 - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 5200025/2020301
Dear Mr. Yox:
During the period March 16-20, 2020, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Unit 3. At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating tests with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by your staff on April 1, 2020.
All applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. There were no post-examination comments. A Simulator Fidelity Report is included in this report as Enclosure 2.
The initial examination submittal met the guidelines for quality contained in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 11, following review by the NRC, and changes that were mutually agreed upon between the NRC and your staff.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of the NRCs document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
M. Yox 2
If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 997-4662.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Eugene F. Guthrie, Chief Operations Branch 2 Division of Reactor Safety Docket No: 5200025 License No: NPF-91
Enclosures:
- 1. Report Details
- 2. Simulator Fidelity Report cc: See page 3
M. Yox 3
cc:
Resident Manager Oglethorpe Power Corporation Alvin W. Vogtle Nuclear Plant 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830 Office of the Attorney General 40 Capitol Square, SW Atlanta, GA 30334 Southern Nuclear Op. Co.
Document Control Coordinator 42 Inverness Center parkway Attn: B236 Birmingham, AL 35242 Anne F. Appleby Oglethorpe Power Corporation 2100 East Exchange Place Tucker, GA 30084 County Commissioner Office of the County Commissioner Burke County Commission Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Wayne Guilfoyle Commissioner District 8 Augusta-Richmond County Commission 4940 Windsor Spring Rd Hephzibah, GA 30815 Gwendolyn Jackson Burke County Library 130 Highway 24 South Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Reece McAlister Executive Secretary Georgia Public Service Commission Atlanta, GA 30334 Resident Inspector Plant Vogtle 3&4 7825 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830 Mr. Barty Simonton Environmental Radiation Program Manager Environmental Protection Division Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources 4224 International Pkwy. Suite 120 Atlanta, GA 30354-3906 Gene Stilp 1550 Fishing Creek Valley Road Harrisburg, PA 17112 Mr. Robert E. Sweeney IBEX ESI 4641 Montgomery Avenue Suite 350 Bethesda, MD 20814 George B. Taylor, Jr.
2100 East Exchange PL Atlanta, GA 30084-5336 Brian H. Whitley 42 Inverness Center Parkway BIN B237 Birmingham, AL 35242
M. Yox 4
Email agahghtm@southernco.com (Amy Aughtman) annacom@westinghouse.com (Michael J. Annacone) awc@nei.org (Anne W. Cottingham)
Bartley.Higgins@hq.doe.gov (Bartley Higgins) becky@georgiawand.org (Becky Rafter) bhwhitle@southernco.com (Brian Whitley)
Bill.Jacobs@gdsassociates.com (Bill Jacobs) bjadams@southernco.com (Brad Adams) burrouno@westinghouse.com (Nicholle Burroughs) bwwaites@southernco.com (Brandon Waites) castelca@westinghouse.com (Curtis Castell) comerj@westinghouse.com (James Comer) couturgf@westinghouse.com (Gerald Couture) crenshjw@westinghouse.com (John Crenshaw) crpierce@southernco.com (C.R. Pierce) dahjones@southernco.com (David Jones) david.hinds@ge.com (David Hinds) david.lewis@pillsburylaw.com (David Lewis) dgbost@southernco.com (Danny Bost) dlfulton@southernco.com (Dale Fulton) drculver@southernco.com (Randy Culver) durhamdc@westinghouse.com (David Durham) ed.burns@earthlink.net (Ed Burns) edavis@pegasusgroup.us (Ed Davis) erg-xl@cox.net (Eddie R. Grant) fdhundle@southernco.com (Forrest Hundley)
G2NDRMDC@southernco.com (SNC Document Control) graysw@westinhgouse.com (Scott W. Gray) james1.beard@ge.com (James Beard) jannina.blanco@pillsburylaw.com (Jannina Blanco) jantol1dj@westinghouse.com (David Jantosik) jbtomase@southernco.com (Janice Tomasello) jenmorri@southernco.com (Jennifer Buettner) jim@ncwarn.org (Jim Warren)
Joseph_Hegner@dom.com (Joseph Hegner) jpredd@southernco.com (Jason R. Redd) jranalli@meagpower.org (Jerry Ranalli) jtgasser@southernco.com (Jeff Gasser) karen.patterson@ttnus.com (Karen Patterson) karlg@att.net (Karl Gross) kdfili@southernco.com (Karen Fili) kim.haynes@opc.com (Kim Haynes) kmseiber@southernco.com (Kristin Seibert) kmstacy@southernco.com (Kara Stacy)
KSutton@morganlewis.com (Kathryn M. Sutton) kwaugh@impact-net.org (Kenneth O. Waugh) lchandler@morganlewis.com (Lawrence J. Chandler) markus.popa@hq.doe.gov (Markus Popa)
(Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Mailing List contd - See page 5)
M. Yox 5
(Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Mailing List contd) mcintyba@westinghouse.com (Brian McIntyre) mdmeier@southernco.com (Mike Meier) media@nei.org (Scott Peterson)
Melissa.Smith@Hq.Doe.Gov (Melissa Smith)
Michael.Kca@hq.doe.gov (Michael Kuca) mike.price@opc.com (M.W. Price) mlgraves@southernco.com (Michelle Graves)
MSF@nei.org (Marvin Fertel) myox@southernco.com (Mike Yox) nirsnet@nirs.org (Michael Mariotte)
Nuclaw@mindspring.com (Robert Temple) patriciaL.campbell@ge.com (Patricia L. Campbell)
Paul@beyondnuclear.org (Paul Gunter) pbessette@morganlewis.com (Paul Bessette) r.joshi15@comcast.net (Ravi Joshi) randall@nexusamllc.com (Randall Li) rjarrett@southernco.com (Robyn Jarrett)
RJB@nei.org (Russell Bell)
Ronald.Jones@scana.com (Ronald Jones) russpa@westinghouse.com (Paul Russ) rwink@ameren.com (Roger Wink) sabinski@suddenlink.net (Steve A. Bennett) sara@cleanenergy.org (Sara Barczak) sblanton@balch.com (Stanford Blanton) sfrantz@morganlewis.com (Stephen P. Frantz)
Shiva.Granmayeh@hq.doe.gov (Shiva Granmayeh) sjackson@meagpower.org (Steven Jackson) skauffman@mpr.com (Storm Kauffman) sroetger@psc.state.ga.us (Steve Roetger) stephan.moen@ge.com (Stephan Moen) taterrel@southernco.com (Todd Terrell) tom.miller@hq.doe.gov (Tom Miller)
TomClements329@cs.com (Tom Clements)
Vanessa.quinn@dhs.gov (Vanessa Quinn)
Wanda.K.Marshall@dom.com (Wanda K. Marshall) wasparkm@southernco.com (Wesley A. Sparkman) wayne.marquino@ge.com (Wayne Marquino) weave1dw@westinghouse.com (Doug Weaver) x2gabeck@southernco.com (Gary Becker)
ML20127H986 _________________
SUNSI REVIEW COMPLETE FORM 665 ATTACHED OFFICE RII:DRS RII:DRS RII:DRS RII:DRS RII:DRS RII:DRS SIGNATURE NAME M.BATES E. GUTHRIE DATE 5/ 5/2020 5/ 6 /2020 E-MAIL COPY?
YES YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II Docket No.:
5200025 License No.:
NPF-91 Report No.:
05200025/2020301 Licensee:
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.
Facility:
Vogtle Unit 3 Location:
Waynesboro, GA Dates:
Operating Test - March 16 - 20, 2020 Written Examination - April 1, 2020 Examiners:
Mark Bates, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer Brian Fuller, Senior Operations Engineer Michael Donithan, Operations Engineer Andreas Goldau, Operations Engineer Michael Kennard, Operations Engineer Joseph Viera, Operations Engineer Approved by:
Eugene F. Guthrie, Chief Operations Branch 2 Division of Reactor Safety
SUMMARY
ER 05200025/2020301; operating test March 16 - 20, 2020 & written exam April 1, 2020; Vogtle Unit 3; Operator License Examinations.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in accordance with the guidelines in Revision 11 of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicable.
Members of the Vogtle Units 3 & 4 plant staff developed both the operating tests and the written examination. The NRC developed the written examination outlines. The initial operating test, written RO examination, and written SRO examination submittals met the quality guidelines contained in NUREG-1021.
The NRC administered the operating tests during the period of March 16 - 20, 2020. Members of the Vogtle Units 3 & 4 training staff administered the written examination on April 1, 2020. All applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. None of the applicants were issued licenses; licensing action has been delayed pending receipt of additional information.
There were no post-examination comments.
No findings were identified.
REPORT DETAILS
- 4.
OTHER ACTIVITIES 4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations
- a.
Inspection Scope The NRC evaluated the submitted operating test by combining the scenario events and JPMs in order to determine the percentage of submitted test items that required replacement or significant modification. The NRC also evaluated the submitted written examination questions (RO and SRO questions considered separately) in order to determine the percentage of submitted questions that required replacement or significant modification, or that clearly did not conform with the intent of the approved knowledge and ability (K/A) statement. Any questions that were deleted during the grading process, or for which the answer key had to be changed, were also included in the count of unacceptable questions. The percentage of submitted test items that were unacceptable was compared to the acceptance criteria of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Standards for Power Reactors.
The NRC reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR §55.49, Integrity of examinations and tests.
The NRC administered the operating tests during the period of March 16-20, 2020. The NRC examiners evaluated ten Reactor Operator (RO) and five Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-1021. Members of the Vogtle Units 3 & 4 training staff administered the written examination on April 1, 2020.
Evaluations of applicants and reviews of associated documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licenses to operate the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Unit 3, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55, Operators Licenses.
The NRC evaluated the performance and fidelity of the simulation facility during the preparation and conduct of the operating tests.
- b.
Findings No findings were identified.
The NRC developed the written examination sample plan outline. Members of the Vogtle Units 3 & 4 training staff developed both the operating tests and the written examination. All examination material was developed in accordance with the guidelines contained in Revision 11 of NUREG-1021. The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examination. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.
The NRC determined, using NUREG-1021 that the licensees initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
4 All applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. Issuance of licenses to all applicants has been delayed pending receipt of additional information.
Details concerning the need for additional information has been sent to the individual applicants and the facility licensee.
Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial training.
The licensee submitted no post-examination comments. A redacted non-proprietary version of the final RO/SRO examination, with an answer key may be accessed no earlier than April 27, 2022, in the ADAMS system at ML20118C153 and ML20118C155.
The non-redacted proprietary versions can be found at ML20118C168 and ML20118C174, but will not be publically available.
4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit On April 8, 2020, the NRC examination team discussed generic issues associated with the operating test with John C. Howard, Acting Nuclear Operations Training Manager.
The chief examiner asked Mr. Howard if any of the examination material was proprietary.
The information that the licensee identified as proprietary was handled in a manner consistent with NRC and licensee guidelines for this type of information.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Licensee Personnel Michael Yox, Regulatory Affairs Director Andrew Nichols, Nuclear Operations Plant Instructor John C. Howard, Acting Operations Training Manager
SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT Facility Licensee: Vogtle Unit 3 Facility Docket No.: 5200025 Operating Test Administered: March 16-20, 2020 This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with Inspection Procedure 71111.11 are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee action is required in response to these observations.
No new simulator fidelity or configuration issues were identified that had not been previously identified.