IR 05000461/2015301

Er 05000461/2015301; 03/16/2015 - 04/01/2015; Exelon Generation Co., LLC; Clinton Power Station; Unit 1; Initial License Examination Report

ML15132A090
Person / Time
Site:	Clinton
Issue date:	05/11/2015
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Bryan Hanson Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
References
50-461/15-301
Download: ML15132A090 (11)

Text

May 11, 2015

SUBJECT:

CLINTON POWER STATION, UNIT 1; NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000461/2015301

Dear Mr. Hanson:

On April 1, 2015, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Clinton Power Station, Unit 1. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on March 23, 2015, with Mr. M. Newcomer and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on May 1, 2015, with Mr. D. Kemper, Operations Director.

The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the weeks of March 16 and 23, 2015. The written examination was administered by your Clinton Power Station training department personnel on March 26, 2015. Five Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on April 30, 2015. Two applicants failed one or more sections of the administered examination and were, issued proposed license denial letters. Six applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations, three were issued senior operator licenses and two were issued operator licenses. In accordance with NRC policy, the license for the remaining Senior Reactor Operator applicant who scored 82 on the written examination is being withheld pending the outcome of any written examination appeal that may be initiated.

The written examination and other related written examination documentation will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months per your request. However, an applicant received a proposed license denial letter because of a written examination grade that was less than 80 percent. That applicant was provided a copy of the written examination. For examination security purposes, your staff should consider that written examination uncontrolled and exposed to the public. In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding, of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosures, and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRCs Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS)

component of the 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/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-461 License No. NPF-62

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Exam Report (ER)

05000461/2015301 w/Attachment:

Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report

REGION III==

Docket No: 50-461 License No: NPF-62 Report No: 05000461/2015301 Licensee: Exelon Generation Co., LLC Facility: Clinton Power Station, Unit 1 Location: Clinton, IL Dates: March 16 through April 1, 2015 Inspectors: B. Palagi, Senior Operations Engineer, Chief Examiner M. Morris, Operations Engineer, Examiner D. Reeser, Operations Engineer, Examiner Approved by: H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000461/2015301; 03/16/2015 - 04/01/2015; Exelon Generation Co., LLC; Clinton Power

Station; Unit 1; Initial License Examination Report.

The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1.

Examination Summary Six of eight applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Three applicants were issued senior operator licenses and two applicants were issued operator licenses. The license for one senior operator license applicant is being withheld pending the outcome of any written examination appeal that may be initiated. (Section 4OA5.1)

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outlines and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of February 23, 2015, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures (JPMs) and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of March 16 through 23, 2015. The facility licensee administered the written examination on March 26, 2015.

b. Findings

(1) Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

Less than 20 percent of the proposed examination questions were determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement.

Changes made to the proposed written examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet, which will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS).

On April 1, 2015, the NRC received documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination. The proposed written examination, as well as the final as-administered examination and answer key will be available in 24 months electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the PARS component of NRC's ADAMS.

The NRC examiners graded the written examination on April 6, 2015, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

(2) Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally proposed by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

However, several JPMs were modified for clarification and ease of administration.

Changes made to the operating test, as well as the final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, are available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's ADAMS.

The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on April 28, 2015.

(3) Examination Results Five applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Two applicants failed one or more sections of the administered examination and were, issued proposed license denial letters. Six applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations, three were issued senior operator licenses and two were issued operator licenses. In accordance with NRC policy, the license for the remaining SRO applicant who scored 82 or less on the written examination is being withheld pending the outcome of any written examination appeal that may be initiated.

.2 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed and observed the licensee's implementation of examination security requirements during the examination validation and administration to assure compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests. The examiners used the guidelines provided in NUREG-021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, to determine acceptability of the licensees examination security activities.

b. Findings

During examination validation the chief examiner lost control of a notebook containing the proposed in-plant JPMs. The examination team evaluated whether the JPMs had been exposed to unauthorized personnel. Site security records confirmed that only three individuals potentially had access to the exam material. These individuals were contacted to verify they had not actually seen any of the JPMs and were added to the exam security agreement. Based on these actions, no examination material was compromised. No examination material had to be modified or replaced as a result of this lapse in exam security.

4OA6 Management Meetings

.1 Debrief

The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on March 23, 2015, to Mr. M. Newcomer, and other members of the Clinton Power Station staff. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.

.2 Exit Meeting Summary

The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting by telephone on May 1, 2015, with Mr. D. Kemper, Operations Director, and Mr. T. Jennings, Exam Author. The NRCs final disposition of examination results were discussed during the telephone call.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

M. Newcomer, Site Vice President

C. Dunn, Director Site Training

D. Kemper, Operations Director

T. Krawcyk, Shift Operations Superintendent

D. Snook, Operations Training Manager

M. McCormic, ILT Lead Instructor

T. Jennings, ILT Exam Author

K. Brown, Regulatory Assurance Representative

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

B. Palagi, Chief Examiner

M. Morris, Examiner

D. Reeser, Examiner

LIST OF ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None