ML081260334

Er 05000400-08-301; 3/10-21/2008; Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Licensed Operator Examinations

ML081260334
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	05/02/2008
From:	Widman M NRC/RGN-II/DRS/OLB
To:	Duncan R Carolina Power & Light Co
References
50-400/08-301 50-400/08-301
Download: ML081260334 (11)

See also: IR 05000400/2008301

Text

May 2, 2008

Carolina Power & Light Company

ATTN: Mr. Robert J. Duncan II

Vice President - Harris Plant

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

P. O. Box 165, Mail Code: Zone 1

New Hill, NC 27562-0165

SUBJECT: SHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - NRC EXAMINATION

REPORT NO. 05000400/2008301

Dear Mr. Duncan:

During the period of March 10 -13, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

administered operating examinations to employees of your company who had applied for

licenses to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. The examiners discussed

preliminary findings related to the operating test and written examination submittal with those

members of your staff identified in the enclosed report on March 13, 2008. The written

examination was administered by your staff on March 21, 2008.

Two Senior Reactor Operator applicants and two Reactor Operator applicants passed both the

written and operating examinations. There were no post examination comments. A Simulation

Facility Report is included in this report as Enclosure 2.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC=s ARules 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 (PARS) component of NRC=s document 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/

Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief

Operations Branch

Division of Reactor Safety

Docket No. 50-400

License No. NPF-63

Enclosures: 1. Report Details

2. NRC Resolution to the Facility Comment

3. Simulation Facility Report

(cc w/encl: See page 2)

CP&L 2

cc w/encl: Beverly Hall, Chief, Radiation

Paul Fulford, Manager Protection Section

Performance Evaluation and N. C. Department of Environmental

Regulatory Affairs PEB 5 Commerce & Natural Resources

Carolina Power & Light Company Electronic Mail Distribution

Electronic Mail Distribution

Public Service Commission

Chris L. Burton State of South Carolina

Director of Site Operations P. O. Box 11649

Carolina Power & Light Company Columbia, SC 29211

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

Electronic Mail Distribution Chairman of the North Carolina

Utilities Commission

J. Wayne Gurganious c/o Sam Watson, Staff Attorney

Training Manager-Harris Plant Electronic Mail Distribution

Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

Harris Energy & Environmental Center Robert P. Gruber

Electronic Mail Distribution Executive Director

Public Staff NCUC

Thomas J. Natale, Manager 4326 Mail Service Center

Support Services Raleigh, NC 27699-4326

Carolina Power & Light Company

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Herb Council, Chair

Electronic Mail Distribution Board of County Commissioners

of Wake County

David H. Corlett, Supervisor P. O. Box 550

Licensing/Regulatory Programs Raleigh, NC 27602

Carolina Power & Light Company

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Tommy Emerson, Chair

Electronic Mail Distribution Board of County Commissioners

of Chatham County

David T. Conley Electronic Mail Distribution

Associate General Counsel - Legal

Department Mr. J. Wayne Gurganious

Progress Energy Service Company, LLC Training Manager - Harris Plant

Electronic Mail Distribution Harris Energy & Environmental Center

Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

John H. O'Neill, Jr. P. O. Box 327, State Road 1127

Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge New Hill, NC 27562-0165

2300 N. Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037-1128 Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

ATTN: Mr. J. Wayne Gurganious

Training Manager

Harris Energy & Env. Center

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

P.O. Box 327, State Road 1127

New Hill, SC 27562-0165

CP&L 3

Distribution w/encl:

M. Vaaler, NRR

R. Musser, RII

RIDSNRRDIRS

PUBLIC

_ ______

OFFICE RII:DRS RII:DRS RII:DRP

SIGNATURE GWL MTW RXM1

NAME GLaska MWidmann RMusser

DATE 04/30/2008 05/02/2008 05/02/2008

E-MAIL COPY? YESNO YES YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO

CP&L 2

cc w/encl: Beverly Hall, Chief, Radiation

Paul Fulford, Manager Protection Section

Performance Evaluation and N. C. Department of Environmental

Regulatory Affairs PEB 5 Commerce & Natural Resources

Carolina Power & Light Company Electronic Mail Distribution

Electronic Mail Distribution

Public Service Commission

Chris L. Burton State of South Carolina

Director of Site Operations P. O. Box 11649

Carolina Power & Light Company Columbia, SC 29211

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

Electronic Mail Distribution Chairman of the North Carolina

Utilities Commission

J. Wayne Gurganious c/o Sam Watson, Staff Attorney

Training Manager-Harris Plant Electronic Mail Distribution

Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

Harris Energy & Environmental Center Robert P. Gruber

Electronic Mail Distribution Executive Director

Public Staff NCUC

Thomas J. Natale, Manager 4326 Mail Service Center

Support Services Raleigh, NC 27699-4326

Carolina Power & Light Company

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Herb Council, Chair

Electronic Mail Distribution Board of County Commissioners

of Wake County

David H. Corlett, Supervisor P. O. Box 550

Licensing/Regulatory Programs Raleigh, NC 27602

Carolina Power & Light Company

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Tommy Emerson, Chair

Electronic Mail Distribution Board of County Commissioners

of Chatham County

David T. Conley Electronic Mail Distribution

Associate General Counsel - Legal

Department Mr. J. Wayne Gurganious

Progress Energy Service Company, LLC Training Manager - Harris Plant

Electronic Mail Distribution Harris Energy & Environmental Center

Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

John H. O'Neill, Jr. P. O. Box 327, State Road 1127

Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge New Hill, NC 27562-0165

2300 N. Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037-1128 Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.

ATTN: Mr. J. Wayne Gurganious

Training Manager

Harris Energy & Env. Center

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

P.O. Box 327, State Road 1127

New Hill, SC 27562-0165

CP&L 3

Distribution w/encl:

M. Vaaler, NRR

R. Musser, RII

RIDSNRRDIRS

PUBLIC

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION II

Docket Nos.: 05000400

License Nos.: NPF-63

Report Nos.: 05000400/2008301

Licensee: Carolina Power & Light Company (CP&L)

Facility: Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

Location: 5413 Shearon Harris Road

New Hill, NC 27562

Dates: Operating Tests - March 10-13, 2008

Written Examination - March 21, 2008

Examiners: G. Laska, Chief Examiner

B. Larson, Operations Engineer-Region IV

Approved by: M. Widmann, Chief

Operations Branch

Division of Reactor Safety

Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000400/2008301; 3/10-21/2008; Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Licensed Operator

Examinations.

The NRC examiners conducted operator licensing initial examinations in accordance with the

guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,

Rev. 9. This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements of 10 CFR '55.41,

'55.43, and '55.45.

The NRC administered the operating tests during the period of March 10-13, 2008. Members of

the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant training staff administered the written examination on

March 21, 2008. The operator licensing initial written examinations and operating tests were

developed by the licensee. Two Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) and two Reactor Operator (RO)

applicants passed both the written and operating examinations. Two SRO applicants and two

RO applicants were issued operating licenses.

The initial written examination submittal was determined to be outside of the acceptable quality

range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Twenty-two of 25 SRO and 4 of 13 RO questions sampled

for initial review contained unacceptable flaws. Individual questions were evaluated as

unsatisfactory because they did not test the knowledge required by the selected topic, contained

implausible distractors, did not test at the appropriate license level and/or contained other

psychometric flaws. The NRC regional office returned the examination to the licensee for rework

and correction in accordance with NUREG-1021. Future examinations need to incorporate

lessons learned.

Enclosure 1

Report Details

4. OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)

4OA5 Operator Licensing Initial Examinations

a. Inspection Scope

The licensee developed the operating tests and written examinations. The NRC

examination team reviewed the proposed examination material to determine whether it

was developed in accordance with NUREG-1021, AOperator Licensing Examination

Standards for Power Reactors,@ Revision 9. Examination changes agreed upon between

the NRC and the licensee were made according to NUREG-1021 and incorporated into

the final version of the examination materials.

The examiners reviewed the licensee=s examination security measures while preparing

and administering the examinations to ensure examination security and integrity

complied with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests.

The examiners evaluated two Senior Reactor applicants (SRO) and two Reactor

Operator (RO) applicants who were being assessed under the guidelines specified in

NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating tests during the period of

March 10-13, 2008. Members of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant training staff

administered the written examination on March 21, 2008. The evaluations of the

applicants and review of documentation were performed to determine if the applicants,

who applied for licensees to operate the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, met

requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55.

b. Findings

The initial written examination submittal was determined to be outside of the acceptable

quality range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Twenty-two of 25 SRO and 4 of 13 RO

questions sampled for initial review contained unacceptable flaws. Individual questions

were evaluated as unsatisfactory because they did not test the knowledge required by

the selected topic, contained implausible distractors, did not test at the appropriate

license level and/or contained other psychometric flaws. The NRC regional office

returned the examination to the licensee for rework and correction in accordance with

NUREG-1021. Future examinations need to incorporate lessons learned.

Two SRO and two RO applicants passed both the operating test and written

examination. There were no post examination comments.

The final RO and SRO written examinations with references, and combined SRO/RO

with knowledge and abilities (K/As) and answers may be accessed in the ADAMS system

(ADAMS Accession Number ML081140047, ML081140054, and ML081140063).

Enclosure 1

CP&L 4

4OA6 Meetings

Exit Meeting Summary

On March 13, 2008, the Chief Examiner discussed generic applicant performance and

examination development issues with members of licensee management. The

inspectors asked the licensee whether any materials examined during the inspection

should be considered proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.

PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED

Licensee

C. Burton, Director Site Operations - Harris Nuclear Plant

K. Henderson, Plant General Manager - Harris Nuclear Plant

J. Warner, Manager - Operations

D. McGee, Manager - Shift Operations

W. Gurganious, Manager - Training

G. Kilpatrick, Superintendent - Superintendant - Operations Training

T. Toler, Supervisor - Operator Initial Training

K. Bailey, Operator Continuing Training (OCT) Supervisor

T. Craig, Sr. Instructor

D. McDede, Simulator Support

K. Stacy - Licensing/Regulatory Programs

NRC

P. O=Bryan, Senior Resident Inspector

Enclosure 1

Simulation Facility Report

Facility Licensee: Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

Facility Docket No.: 05000400

Operating Tests Administered on: March 10-13, 2008

This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit

or inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with IP 71111.11, are not indicative of noncompliance with 10 CFR 55.46. No licensee action is

required in response to these observations.

While conducting the simulator portion of the operating tests, examiners did not observe any

simulation fidelity issues.

Enclosure 2