IR 05000528/2018302

NRC Retake Examination Report 05000528/2018302; 05000529/2018/2018302; 05000530/2018302

ML18304A474
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	10/31/2018
From:	Vincent Gaddy Operations Branch IV
To:	Bement R S Arizona Public Service Co
References
ER 2018302
Download: ML18304A474 (8)

Text

October 31, 2018

SUBJECT:

PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3

- NRC RETAKE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000528/201 8 30 2; 05000529/201 8 30 2; 05000530/201 8 30 2

Dear Mr. Bement:

On September 26, 2018, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license retake examination at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

, Units 1, 2, and 3. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on September 26, 201 8, with Mr. Paul Bury, Training Director, and other members of your staff.

A telephonic exit meeting was conduct ed on October 12, 2018 , with Mr. Bury , who was provided with the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of one applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license.

The license examiner determined that both applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

There were no post examination comments submitted by your staff

. The Enclosure contains details of this report.

No findings were identified during this examination

. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure," a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/ Vincent G. Gaddy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-528, 50-529, and 50-530 License Nos. NPF-41, NPF-51, and NPF-74

Enclosure:

NRC Examination Report 05000528/201 8 30 2; 05000529/201 8 30 2; 05000530/201 8 30 2 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information

REGION IV Docket s: 05000528; 05000529; 05000530 License s: NPF-41; NPF-51; NPF-74 Report s: 05000528/201 8 30 2; 05000529/201 8 30 2; 05000530/201 8 30 2 Licensee: Arizona Public Service Company Facility: Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Location: Tonopah, Arizona Dates: September 2 6, 201 8 Inspector:

D. Bacon , Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer Approved By:

Vincent G. Gaddy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

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SUMMARY

ER 05000528/201 8 30 2; 05000529/2018 30 2; 05000530/2018 30 2; 9/2 6/201 8; Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

Retake Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report. An NRC examiner evaluated the competency of one applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

. The licensee developed the retake examinations using NUREG

-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 1 1. The retake examination for the instant senior reactor applicant consisted of only the administrative topics portion of the operating test. The retake examination for the upgrade senior reactor operator applicant consisted of the entire walkthrough portion of the operating test.

Both applicants were granted excusals for the written exam and the simulator scenario portion of the operating test. T he NRC examiner administered the operating tests on September 26, 2018. The examiner determined that both the applicant for the instant senior reactor operator license and the applicant for upgrade senior reactor operator license satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

A. NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

None.

B. Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

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REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Retake Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

NRC examiners reviewed all license application s submitted to ensure each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.2 Examination Development

a. Scope

The NRC examiner reviewed integrated examination outlines and draft examinations submitted by the licensee against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC examination team conducted an onsite validation of the operating test s.

b. Findings

The NRC examiner provided outline, draft examination

, and post-validation comments to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to examination administration.

The NRC examiner determined th e operating tests initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

.3 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Scope

The NRC examiner administered the applicable portions of the operating test s to both applicants on September 2 6, 2018.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

Both the instant senior reactor operator applicant and the upgrade senior reactor operator applicant passed the operating test s.

There were no post examination comments as indicated in the licensee submittal.

Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility training manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Scope

The NRC examiner observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiner reviewed examination security during the onsite preparation and examination administration week for compliance with 10 CFR 55.49 and NUREG-1021. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

Exit Meeting The chief examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. P. Bury and other members of your staff on September 26, 2018. A telephonic exit was conducted on October 12 , 2018 , between M r. V. Gaddy , Chief, Operations Branch, and Mr.

P. Bury , Director , Nuclear Training. The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

J. Allison, Section Leader, Training

P. Bury, Director , Nuclear Training

S. Dornseif, Senior Consultant, Regulatory Affairs

D. Elkington, Section Leader, Regulatory Affairs/Compliance

J. Fearn, Operations Manager, Training

M. Kura, Department Leader , Regulatory Affairs

Z. Goldwasser

, Department

Leader , Operations Training D. Lowdermilk

, Nuclear Operations Coordinator

, Licensing

J. Rodgers, Senior Operations Training Instructor

NRC Personnel

V. Gad dy, Chief, Operations Branch

D. Bacon, Senior

Operations Engineer, RII, Operations Branch 1