ML20128J018

Investigation Case 5-84-009 on 850319.No Violation or Deviation Noted.Incident Re Cheating on Exam for Licensed Control Room Operators Closed

ML20128J018
Person / Time
Site:	Trojan File:Portland General Electric icon.png
Issue date:	03/19/1985
From:	Hayes B, Power E, Shackleton O NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V), NRC OFFICE OF INVESTIGATIONS (OI)
To:
Shared Package
ML20128H998	List: ML20128H994 ML20128J018
References
5-84-009, 5-84-9, NUDOCS 8507100350
Download: ML20128J018 (3)

Text

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Title:

TROJAN POWER PLANT CHEATING ON EXAMINATION FOR LICENSED CONTROL ROOM OPERATORS Licensee: Portland General Electric Co. Case Number: 5-84-009 121 S.W. Salmon Street Portland, Oregon 97204 Report Date: March 19,1985 Docket No.: 50-344 Control Office: 01:RV Status: CLOSED Reported by:

Reviewed by:

AdW Eugefie J. Pgsf6r, Investigator YTf' ?hs be Office of Investigations Field Owen C. Shackleton Jr., Dirggior Office, Region V Office of Investigations Field Office, Region V Approved by:

k mM yn B. %yes, Director

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Vffice l5f Investigations 4

8507100350 850617 PDR G

ADOCK 05000344 PDR

SYNOPSIS On February 7,1984, Region V U.S. ' Nuclear Regulatory Conunission (U.S. NRC), was advised by Portland General Electric Company (PGE),

a licensee, of a possible compromise during an annual relicensing examination on February 3,1984.

On February 3,1984, a written examination, with a six-hour time limit, was given to 13 members, or students, of a training class, which was the culmination of a two-week annual reactor operator's requalification course at Trojan Nuclear Plant in Rainier, Oregon.

The requalification program was administered by PGE to their control room auxiliz.ry operators and senior reactor operators in order to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55. The examination was proctored at all times by a PGE representative.

Between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 11:55 a.m. on February 3, 1984, one member of the class, who had completed his examination, visited the rest room and he discovered a reference document in the paper towel holder. The rest room was located directly adjacent to the training classroom in which the examination was given, and the students were allowed to use the rest room, one person at a time, during the examination.

The discovered reference document was identified as a copy of a Nuclear Data Sheet, Nuclear Design - Cycle 6, dated November 15, 1984, which had been prepared by the Trojan facility. A copy of the document had been issued as a study guide to each student in the class for his use during the two-week requalification course. -

The licensee conducted an immediate and complete investigation into the incident, which included conducting interviews of all 13 students in the class, plus the rest room cleaning attendant. On February 6,1984, during his interview, an auxiliary operator confessed that he had placed the document in the rest room just minutes prior to the start of the examination, but he stated that he did not know why he did it. The operator averred that he did not use the data sheet during the examination. He further indicated that he could have easily left the site without saying a word since he had recently obtained another job and was going to submit his resignation. On the following day, February 7, 1984, the individual specifically identified the Cycle 6 Design Data Sheet as that which he had placed in the towel holder. As a result, the operator resigned his position with the Trojan Power Plant on February 7, 1984, and he was immediately denied access to the plant. The PGE report of investigation concluded that "this -

, case of possible compromise is an isolated incident." There were no indications of involvement by other individuals.

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Also as a direct result of the incident, Region V, U.S. NRC, ,

conducted a special inspection of the operator requalification program at Trojan during February 11-13, 1984, which was contained in their Inspection Report No. 50-344/84-04. Additionally, Region V conducted an operator licensing examination of the PGE requalification prograg during March 1-14, 1984, which was contained in Examination Report No. 50-344/0L 84-01. In the forwarding letter of April 10, 1984, Region V categorized the overall evaluation of the licensee's requalification program as

" marginal," which was defined as.that falling between a satisfactory and unsatisfactory evaluation. There were no items of noncompliance or deviation identified in the two NRC reports; however, several areas where improved administration of the program may be warranted we're identified.

On January 29, 1985, the former auxiliary operator was interviewed under oath in Phoenix, Arizona by an investigator with the Office of Investigations Field Office, Region V, U.S. NRC. During his interview, he provided substantially the same information as contained in the PGE investigation. He stated that he had hidden the specific document in the towel holder on February 3,1984, a few minutes before the examination. He stated, "It was not a premeditated act. It was a spur of the moment decision." He indicated that he did not know why he did it, but he acknowledged that if, durihg the examination, he had a question relating to the information contained in the document, it was his initial intention to go to the rest room for the purpose of answering the question.

He stated that he acted of his own free will, and he acted alone.

The operator further averred that he did not hide any other type of reference material on his person, or any other place for use during the examination. He stated that he did not remember using the rest room during the period of the examination; however, he guessed that he probably had. The operator testified that he did not use the study guide for any purpose during the examination. He averred that he did not cheat during the examination on February 3, 1984, or on any other operator's examination. He further indicated that he had no knowledge of any individual who had ever cheated, or attempted to cheat, on any type of operator's examination. When asked why he did not acknowledge that it was he who had placed the document in the rest room prior to being asked during the PGE investigation, he answered, "I was confused. Everything was moving fast at that time." He further explained, "I know I made a .

mistake. I admitted the mistake. I wanted it resolved as quickly as possible. I did not cheat." On January 30, 1985, the operator executed a sworn statement on the results of the interview.

On the basis of the information obtained during the 01 investiga- ,

tion, no further investigative effort is warranted. The status of the OI investigation is CLOSED.

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