ML20129K447
| ML20129K447 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 11/07/1996 |
| From: | Grant G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Kraft E COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20129K448 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9611250210 | |
| Download: ML20129K447 (3) | |
See also: IR 05000254/1996302
Text
,
.
._.
.
<
1
r
November 7, 1996
Mr. E. Kraft
Site Vice President
Quad Cities Station
Commonwealth Edison Company
22710 206th Avenue North
Cordova: IL 61242
SUBJECT:
OPERATOR LICENSING EXAMINATION REPORTS NO. 50-254/96302;
50-265/96302
j
Dear Mr. Kraf t:
This refers to the NRC administered initial lier
examination conducted by Mr. D. McNeil
and others on October 7-11,1996. The exa
1ation was administered to employees of
your co..ipany who had applied for a license to operate the Quad Cities Nuclear Power
Station (OCNPS), Units 1 and 2. At the conclusion of the examination process, generic
observations were discussed with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed
report.
'
initial license examinations were administered to eight applicants, three at the Reactor
'
Operator level and five at the Senior Reactor Operator level. One reactor operator
applicant failed the written portion of his examination and was denied an operator's
license. All other applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and were
itaued reactor operator or senior reactor operator licenses.
Your staff generated the examination materials for NRC review and approval in accordance
with the NRC initial examination pilot program. The examination material was considered
adequate but needed some modifications to meet requirements of NUREG 1021, Operator
Licensing E cminer Standards. Additional modifications were requested by the Chief
Examiner to bring the difficulty level of the written examination into conformance with
other examinations recently administered by the NRC. Suggestions for improving the
development and administration of future examinations were discussed with operations
training personnel.
During the development of the initial examination materials, QCNPS training department
and contractor personnel signed an examination security agreement that states in part,
that those who sign the agreement understand they will not participate in any instruction
involving the applicants scheduled to be administered the license examination. One
simulator hardware technician signed the examination security agreement and
subsequently participated in a simulator training scenario as the simulator operator with
some of the license applicants. Upon discovery of this condition, the OCNPS training
department immediately notified the assigned NRC Chief Examiner and started an
investigation. The investigation revealed that although the technician signed the security
"
9611250210 961107
\\ \\ g-
PDR= ADOCK 05000254
V
-
--
c
.
E. Kraft
-2
November 7, 1996
agreement, he had not been exposed to any examination specific material, and further,
that he had not provided any instruction to any of the candidates during the simulator
training session. The investigation was thorough and prompt.
The assigned Chief Examiner accepted the results of the investigation and believed that no
compromise of the examination occurred.
)
We are concerned with the recent history of examination security problems exhibited at
Commonwealth Edison nuclear power plants and the impact this may have on public trust
in the examination process, especially during this period of time when the NRC is
attempting to improve the exarnination process by allowing facilities to develop initial
license examinations. No response to this letter is required, but we clearly expect to find
improved examination security as we continue the license examination process.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter,
with enclosures, will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR),
Should yst4 have any questions concerning this examination, please contact us.
Sincerely,
,
1
Original Signed by Brent Clayton
Geoffrey E. Grant, Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-254
Docket No. 50-265
Enclosures:
1. Examination Reports No.
50-254/96302(OL); 50-265/96302(OL)
2. Simulation Facility Report
3. Examination Weaknesses
See Attached Distribution
DOCUMENT NAME: G:DRS\\QUA96302.0L
To receive e copy of this document, indicate in the box "c" = Copy w/o attach /enct "E" = Copy w/ attach /erici "N" = No copy
OFFICE
Rill
l
_
l
Rlll
, l //
Rlli
(,c.
lP
Rlli
NAME
DMcNeil/lc/jpg MLeach #vA
PHiland
p1 W
BClayton/GGrant
~
DATE
11/s/96
11/s796
11/f/96
11/7/96
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
.
.
.
E. Kraft
-3-
November 7, 1996
i
cc w/encls:
D. A. Sager, Vice President,
Generation Support
H. W. Keiser, Chief Nuclear
Operating Officer
L. W. Pearce, Station Manager
N. Chrissotimos, Regulatory
Assurance Supervisor
C. C. Peterson, Regulatory Affairs
Manager
1. Johnson, Acting Nuclear
Regulatory Services Manager
Document Control Desk - Licensing
Richard Hubbard
Nathan Schloss, Economist,
Office of the Attorney General
'
State Liaison Officer
!
Chairman, Illinois Commerce Cummission
J. R. Bull, Vice President, General &
Transmission, MidAmerican Energy Company
cc w/encls 1. 2, 3,4: A. J. Chernick, Training Department
Distribution:
Docket File w/encls 1,2,3
A. B. Beach, Rlll w/encls 1,2,3
PUBLIC IE-42 w/encls 1,2,3,4
SRis, Quad Cities,
Enf. Coordinator, Rllt w/encls 1,2,3
Dresden, LaSalle w/encls 1,2,3
Rlli PRR w/encls 1, 2,3
OC/LFDCB w/encls 1,2,3
RAC1 w/encls (E-mail)
W. Axelson, Rlil w/encis 1,2,3
DRP w/encls 1, 2, 3
CAA1 w/encls (E-mail)
DRS w/encls 1, 2, 3
LPM, NRR w/encls 1, 2,3
M. A. Bies w/encls 1, 2,3