ML20199H102
| ML20199H102 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 11/06/1997 |
| From: | Jaudon J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | Zeringue O TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20199H107 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-327-97-300, NUDOCS 9711260019 | |
| Download: ML20199H102 (5) | |
See also: IR 05000327/1997300
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! November'6,1997
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Tennessee Valley Authority:
ATTN. Mr. 0;-J. Zeringue-
President. TVA Nuclear and-
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Chief Nuclear Officer
6A Lookout Place
y
1101' Market Street
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Chattanooga;1TN 37402-2801
SUBJECT:
NRC EXAMINATICN REPORT'NOS. 50-327/97-300 AND 50-328/97-300
Dear Mr. Zeringue:
'On September.22 - 29, 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
administered operating examinations to employees of your company who had-
a) plied for licenses to operate the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2.
At
t1e conclusion of the examination, the examiners discussed the examination
questions and preliminary findings with those members of your staff identified
in the enclosed report.
The written examination was administered by your
staff on September 19. 1997. The answer sheets and your post-examination
comments were received October 7. 1997.
Based on our evaluation of the examination process, your training staff set
and maintained a goal of developing an examination that would discriminate a
competent operator from a less than competent one. Additionally, members of
your staff demonstrated a cooperative effort in working with the NRC to
develop the first facility generated pilot-style initial examination
administered at your facility.
Although the written examination took
extensive effort to meet NRC standards, we were generally pleased with your
initial submittal.
The NRC is concerned with the level of quality of the candidates that were
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aduinistered the operator: licensing examination.
Poor performance was
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demonstrated in all areas of the examination.
There was an unusually.high
failure rate on the written examination. Also, all of the Senior Reactor
.0perator Upgrade (SRO U) candidates failed the walkthrough portion of the -
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operating examination.
The SRO-U candidates' performance was of particular
concern, as they performed poorly on Reactor Operator (RO) tasks. and they are
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current ~y licensed as R0s. Consequently, we request that you inform us of the
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remedial action taken to asrure these R0s can satisfactorily complete these
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tasks.
The~NRC"is also-concerned with the quality of your audit and remediation
programs. -For example, one R0 candidate that failed the licensee audit
examination. -was allowed to take a second audit examination with no
remediation, passed the second audit with an 88% and then failed the NRC
written examination with a score of 64.6%. This 23.4 percentage point
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difference between the second audit examination and the NRC written
examination, brings into question the discriminatory value of the audit
examination.
We requested a management meeting with regard to how you intend to improve the
3erformance of future o)erator licensing candidates.
A meeting in our office
las been scheduled for )ecember 23. 1997, at 1:00 p.m.
In addition. the
individuals' examination reports should be reviewed to determine 17
adjustments to your training program. as well as additional remediation are
needed.
A Simulation Facility Report is included in this report as Enclosure 2.
A
copy of the written examination questions and answer key was retained by your
facility following administration and is included as Enclosure 3.
Port-
examination comments for the written examination were submitted by your
facility on October 6. 1997 and are included as Enclosure 4.
The # C's
response to the comments is included as Enclosure 5.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commission's regulations, a copy of
this letter and the enclosures will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
Should you have any questions concerning this examination. please contact me
at (404) 562-4600.
Sincerely.
M88MD BY
CHARLES A. CAS's0
Johns P. Jaudon. Director
Division of Reactor Safety
Docket Nos.
50-327 and 50-328
License Nos.
Enclosures: 1.
Report Details
2.
Siinulation Facility Report
3.
Written Examination and Answer Key (SRD & RO)
(Document Control Desk Only)
4
Licensee Post-Examination Comments for the written examination
5.
NRC Response to the Post-Examination Comments
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cc w/encls - See page 3
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cc w/encls
Jack A. Bailey. Vice President
County Executive
Engineering & Technical Services
Hamilton County Courthouse
Tennessee Valley Authority
. Chattanooga, TN 37402
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oA Lookout Place
1101 Market-Street
Chattanoogc, TN -37402-2801
Masoud Bajestani
Site Vice President
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
. Tennessee Valley Authority
P. O. Box 2000
Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
General Counsel
1 Tennessee Valley Authority
ET 10H
e
400 West Sumit Hill Drive
Knoxville, TN 37902
Raul R. Baron General Manager
Nuclear Assurance
Tennessee Valley Authority
4J Blue Ridge
1101 Market Street-
Chattanoogo. TN _37402-2801
Mark J. Burzynski. Manager
Nuclear Licensing
Tennessee Valley Authority
4J Blue Ridge
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
Pedro _Salas. Manager-
Licensing and Industry Affairs
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
P. O. Box 2000
Soddy-Daisy.-TN 37379
J.-T. Herron. Plant Manager
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
Tennessee Valley Authority
- P. O. Box 2000
Soddy Daisy.- TN 37379
Michael H. Mobley Director-
Division of Radiological Health
3rd Floor. L and C Annex
-401-Church Street
Nashville. TN 37243-1532
"
Distribution w/encls:
(See page 4)
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Distribution'w/encls:
J. R.: Johnson. RIl
M. S.'tesser. RII
S.'E. Sparks, RIl
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R. W. Hernan. NRR
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F. Hebdon, NRR
H. L, Whitener RII
C, f. Smith. RII
E. 0. Testa, RIl
D. H. Thompson, Ril.
L.'S. Mellen, RII
PUBLIC
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NRC Resident Inspector, Operations
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
1260 Nuclear Plant-Road
Spring. City. TN 37381
NRC Resident Inspector
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Ccarnission
2600 Igou Ferry Road
Soddy-Daisy. TN. 37379
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Distribution w/encls:
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M. S. Lesser. RII
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S. E. Sparks RII
R. W. Hernan NRR
F. Hebdon. NRR
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H. L. Whitener RII
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C. F. Smith, RIl
E. D. Testa. Ril
D. H. Thomoson. Rll
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PUBLIC
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NRC- Resident inspector. Operations
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
1260 Nuclear Plant Road
Spring City 1N 37381
NRC Resident Inspector
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissi
2600 Igou Ferry Road
Soddy-Daisy. TN 37379
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11 / <- / 97
11 / 8 / 97
11 / I / 97
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