IR 05000331/2013301

Er 05000331/13-301, 04/08/2013 - 04/25/2013, NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC; Duane Arnold Energy Center; Initial License Examination Report

ML13151A411
Person / Time
Site:	Duane Arnold
Issue date:	05/31/2013
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Richard Anderson NextEra Energy Duane Arnold
Shared Package
ML13151A419	List: IR 05000331/2013301 ML13308A726 ML13308A754 ML13308A774
References
50-331-13-301
Download: ML13151A411 (11)

Text

May 31, 2013

SUBJECT:

DUANE ARNOLD ENERGY CENTER NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000331/2013301

Dear Mr. Anderson:

On April 25, 2013, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC). The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations.

Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on April 12, 2013, with Mr. G. Pry, Plant General Manager, and other members of your staff.

An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on April 25, 2013, between you and Mr. B. Palagi, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. The NRC confirmed the station submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration during NRC grading of the examination.

The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of April 8, 2013. The written examination was administered by DAEC training department personnel on April 16, 2013. Six Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and three Reactor Operator (RO) applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on May 16, 2013. All nine applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Six applicants were issued Senior Operator licenses and three were issued Operator Licenses.

The written examination will be withheld from public disclosure for 24 months per your request.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 2.390 of the NRC's

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

Sincerely,

/RA/ By R. K. Walton Acting For/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-331 License No. DPR-49

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000331/2013301 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report

REGION III==

Docket No: 50-331 License No: DPR-49 Report No: 05000331/2013301 Licensee: NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC Facility: Duane Arnold Energy Center Location: Palo, IA Dates: April 8 - 25, 2013 Inspectors: B. Palagi, Senior Operations Engineer - Chief Examiner N. Valos, Senior Reactor Analyst - Examiner R. Baker, Operations Engineer - Examiner Approved by: H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000331/2013301; 04/08/2013 - 04/25/2013; NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC; Duane

Arnold Energy Center; 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 Nine of nine applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Six applicants were issued Senior Operator licenses and three applicants were issued Operator licenses.

(Section 4OA5.1)

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The 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 outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of March 18, 2013, 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 April 8, 2013 through April 12, 2013.

The facility licensee administered the written examination on April 16, 2013.

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. All changes made to the proposed 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 is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS).

On April 24, 2013, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination.

The NRC examiners graded the written examination on April 24, 2013, 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.

Changes made to the operating test, documented in a document titled, Operating Test Comments, 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 document system (ADAMS).

The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on May 11, 2013.

(3) Examination Results Six applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Nine applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses.

.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 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests. The examiners used the guidelines provided in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, to determine acceptability of the licensees examination security activities.

b. Findings

No significant findings were identified. However, one minor incident was identified by the licensee prior to exam validation and administration. The event involved one person who was signed on to the exam security agreement who had training contact with an initial license training student. This is contrary to the licensees training department procedure, TDAP 1836, NRC Exam Security Requirements, which prohibits providing instruction where examinees are in attendance. The training module presented was reviewed by the licensee, verified to not contain any objectives from the Licensed Operator training program, and the issue was discussed with the individuals involved and station management. No examination material compromise resulted. The event was disclosed, discussed with the NRC Chief Examiner, and documented in Action Request (AR) 01811771.

The above event was entered into the facility licensees Corrective Action Program and actions were initiated to prevent reoccurrence.

4OA6 Management Meetings

.1 Debrief

The Chief Examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations on April 12, 2013, to G. Pry, Plant General Manager, and other members of the Duane Arnold Energy Center Operations and Training Department staff.

.2 Exit Meeting

The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on April 25, 2013, with Mr. R. Anderson, Site Vice President, by telephone. The NRCs final disposition of the stations post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed with Mr. Anderson during the telephone discussion. The examiners asked the licensee whether any of the material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary.

No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

R. Anderson, Site Vice President

G. Rushworth, Operations Manager

T. Byrne, Acting Licensing Manager

G. Pry, Plant General Manager

W. Simmons, Training Manager

E. Murray, Exam Project Manager

T. Erger, Assistant Operations Manager-Training

J. Morris, Operations Instructor

S. Vick, Operations Instructor

M. Walter, Operations Instructor

NRC

L. Haeg, Senior Resident Inspector

B. Palagi, Senior Operations Engineer - Chief Examiner

N. Valos, Senior Reactor Analyst - Examiner

R. Baker, Operations Engineer - Examiner

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

None.