IR 05000498/2005301

Er 05000498-05-301; 05000499-05-301 on 11/14-18/2005; South Texas Project, Initial Operator Licensing Examination

ML060130337
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	01/12/2006
From:	Gody A Operations Branch IV
To:	Sheppard J South Texas
References
50-498/05-301, 50-499/05-301
Download: ML060130337 (10)

Text

ary 12, 2006

SUBJECT:

SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT, UNITS 1 AND 2 - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000498/2005301; 05000499/2005301

Dear Mr. Sheppard:

On November 18, 2005, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator licensing examination at the South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2. The enclosed report documents the examination findings, which were discussed on November 18, 2005, with Mr. James Mertink, Operations Manager, and other members of your staff.

The examination included an evaluation of 3 applicants for operator licenses and 9 applicants for a senior operator license. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9.

The license examiners determined that all 12 applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

No findings of significance were identified.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," 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 NRCs 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/

Anthony T. Gody, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Dockets: 50-498; 50-499 Licenses: NPF-76; NPF-80

STP Nuclear Operating Company -2-E. D. Halpin Vice President, Oversight STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289 Wadsworth, TX 77483 S. M. Head, Manager, Licensing STP Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 289, Mail Code: N5014 Wadsworth, TX 77483 C. Kirksey/C. M. Canady City of Austin Electric Utility Department 721 Barton Springs Road Austin, TX 78704 J. J. Nesrsta/R. K. Temple City Public Service Board P.O. Box 1771 San Antonio, TX 78296 Jack A. Fusco/Michael A. Reed Texas Genco, LP 12301 Kurland Drive Houston, TX 77034 Jon C. Wood Cox Smith Matthews 112 E. Pecan, Suite 1800 San Antonio, TX 78205 A. H. Gutterman, Esq.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20004 INPO Records Center 700 Galleria Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339-3064 Director, Division of Compliance & Inspection Bureau of Radiation Control Texas Department of State Health Services 1100 West 49th Street Austin, TX 78756

STP Nuclear Operating Company -3-Brian Almon Public Utility Commission William B. Travis Building P.O. Box 13326 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701-3326 Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Director P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711-3189 Judge, Matagorda County Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 Seventh Street Bay City, TX 77414 Terry Parks, Chief Inspector Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Boiler Program P.O. Box 12157 Austin, TX 78711 Susan M. Jablonski Office of Permitting, Remediation and Registration Texas Commission on Environmental Quality MC-122, P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 Ted Enos 4200 South Hulen Suite 630 Fort Worth, TX 76109

STP Nuclear Operating Company -4-Electronic distribution by RIV:

Regional Administrator (BSM1)

DRP Director (ATH)

DRS Director (DDC)

DRS Deputy Director (RJC1)

Senior Resident Inspector (JXC2)

Branch Chief, DRP/A (CEJ1)

Senior Project Engineer, DRP/A (TRF)

Team Leader, DRP/TSS (RLN1)

RITS Coordinator (KEG)

DRS STA (DAP)

J. Dixon-Herrity, OEDO RIV Coordinator (JLD)

ROPreports STP Site Secretary (LAR)

SUNSI Review Completed: ___Y_____ ADAMS: # YesG No Initials: ______

1. Publicly Available G Non-Publicly Available G Sensitive # Non-Sensitive SOE:OB SOE:OB OE:OB RI:PBA C:OB C:PBA C:OB MEMurphy/lmb PCGage SMGarchow ASanchez ATGody CEJohnson ATGody

/RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ /RA/

1/10/06 1/9/06 1/10/06 1/10/06 1/11/06 1/12/06 1/12/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY T=Telephone E=E-mail F=Fax

ENCLOSURE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION IV

Dockets.: 50-498; 50-499 License: NPF-76; NPF-80 Report No.: 50-498/2005-301; 50-499/2005-301 Licensee: South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company Facility: South Texas Project Electric Generating Station Location: FM 521 - 8 miles west of Wadsworth Wadsworth, Texas 77483 Dates: November 14-18, 2005 Inspectors: Michael Murphy , Senior Operations Engineer, Operations Branch Paul Gage, Senior Operations Engineer, Operations Branch Steve Garchow, Operations Engineer, Operations Branch Alfred Sanchez, Resident Inspector, Projects Branch A Accompanying B. Larson, Operations Engineer, Operations Branch Personnel:

Approved By: Anthony T. Gody, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety-1- Enclosure

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ER 05000498/2005-301; 05000499/2005-301 on 11/14-18/2005; South Texas Project, initial operator licensing examination.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of three applicants for operator licenses and nine applicants for a senior operator license. The NRC developed the written examination and the licensee developed the operating examination using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9. The licensee provided proctors for the administration of the written examination to all applicants on November 11, 2005, in accordance with instructions provided by the chief examiner. The NRC examiners administered the operating test on November 14-18, 2005.

A. NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Fingings No findings of significance were identified.

B. Licensee-Identified Violations No findings of significance were identified.

-2- Enclosure

REPORT DETAILS 4. OTHER ACTIVITIES 4OA4 Initial License Examination

.1 Operator Knowledge and Performance a. Examination Scope The NRC examination team administered the operating test to the 12 applicants on November 14-18, 2005. The reactor operator applicants participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of 1 task in each of four areas.

The 5 senior operator applicants seeking an instant license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of 10 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of one task in each of five areas.

The 4 senior operator applicants seeking an upgrade license participated in one dynamic simulator scenario, a control room and facilities walkthrough consisting of 5 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of 1 task in each of five areas.

On November 11, 2005, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 12 applicants and forwarded the proposed grades together with the performance analysis to the NRC for approval.

b. Findings Twelve applicants passed all parts of the examinations. For the written examinations, the average score for all applicants was 90.0 percent. The applicant scores ranged from 84.0 to 95.0 percent. The SRO applicant average scores were 89.7 percent, and the RO applicant average scores were 91.1 percent.

The licensee conducted a performance analysis for the written examinations with emphasis on four questions missed by half or more of the applicants. After reviewing the licensees analysis, the examiners agreed with the licensees conclusions that one question had more than one correct answer. The recommended change had no impact of changing a passing grade to a failure or a failing grade to passing.

The licensees recommendation and the NRC response follow:

Senior Operator Question 94 The licensee recommended that both Answers A and D be accepted as correct. The stem of the question asked where the minimum fire brigade staffing was defined. The original correct answer was "A - the Technical Requirements Manual (TRM)." The licensee proposed that Answer D - The Conduct of Operations Manual was also correct.

They provided a copy of page 36 of the Conduct of Operations Manual, which states under Shift Manning that the "minimum shift manning requirement . . . is . . . 5 fire brigade members. . . ."

-1- Enclosure

NRC Response: The NRC examiners agreed with the licensees conclusion that Question 94 had more than one correct answer.

The answer key was corrected. All remaining questions were valid and no training deficiencies were identified.

.2 Initial Licensing Examination Development The NRC developed the written and the licensee developed the operating test in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 9. Licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination development were on a security agreement.

.2.1 Operating Examination Outline and Examination Package a. Examination Scope The licensee staff submitted the operating examination outlines on June 20, 2005. The chief examiner reviewed the submittal against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 9. The draft operating examination package was received by the NRC on October 3, 2005. Examiners reviewed the examination against the requirements of NUREG-1021, Revision 9, and provided comments to the licensee on October 11, 2005.

The chief examiner conducted an onsite validation of the examinations and provided further comments during the week of October 24, 2005.

b. Findings Examiners approved the initial operating examination outline with minor comments and advised the licensee to proceed with the operating examination development.

The chief examiner determined that the operating examination initially submitted by the licensee staff was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

No findings of significance were identified.

.2.2 Simulation Facility Performance a. Scope The examination team observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings No findings of significance were identified.

-2- Enclosure

2.3 Examination Security a. Scope The examiners reviewed examination security both during the onsite preparation and examination administration weeks. Written plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel. In addition, the chief examiner sampled historical records of the applicants to verify the accuracy of data on their license applications, in accordance with Examiner Standard 202.C.2.e of NUREG-1021, Revision 9.

b. Findings No findings of significance were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit On November 18, 2005, the examiners presented the examination results to Mr. James Mertink and other members of your staff who acknowledged the findings. The inspectors confirmed that proprietary information was not provided or reviewed during the examination process.

-3- Enclosure

ATTACHMENT KEY POINTS OF CONTACT Licensee personnel J. Calvert, Operations Training Manager A. Culver, Operations Training Instructor M. DeFrees, Operations Training Supervisor J. Mertink, Operations Manager R. Savage, Licensing Engineering Specialist-1- Attachment