IR 05000528/2016301

NRC Examination Report 05000528/2016301; 05000529/2016301; 05000530/2016301

ML16340A856
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	12/05/2016
From:	Vincent Gaddy Operations Branch IV
To:	Bement R Arizona Public Service Co
Gaddy V
References
50-528/16-301, 50-529/16-301, 50-530/16-301
Download: ML16340A856 (11)

Text

ecember 5, 2016

SUBJECT:

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

NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000528/2016301; 05000529/2016301; 05000530/2016301

Dear Mr. Bement:

On November 3, 2016, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license 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 November 3, 2016, with Mr. J. Cadogan, Senior Vice President, Site Operations, and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on November 17, 2016, with Mr. P. McSparran, Operations Director, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.

The examination included the evaluation of nine applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and nine applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses. The license examiners determined that all of the 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 "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 NRCs 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 05000528/2016301; 05000529/2016301; 05000530/2016301 w/Attachment: Supplemental Information

REGION IV==

Docket: 05000528; 05000529; 05000530 License: NPF-41; NPF-51; NPF-74 Report: 05000528/2016301; 05000529/2016301; 05000530/2016301 Licensee: Arizona Public Service Company Facility: Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station 5951 S. Wintersburg Road Location:

Tonopah, Arizona Dates: October 28 through November 17, 2016 Inspectors: T. Farina, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer B. Larson, Senior Operations Engineer J. Drake, Senior Reactor Inspector S. Hedger, Operations Engineer M. Kennard, Operations Engineer C. Cowdrey, Operations Engineer C. Steely, Operations Engineer Approved By: Vincent G. Gaddy, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure

SUMMARY

ER 05000528/2016301; 05000529/2016301; 05000530/2016301; 10/28/2016 to 11/17/2016;

Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report.

NRC examiners evaluated the competency of nine applicants for reactor operator licenses, five applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and nine applicants for upgrade senior reactor operator licenses at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3.

The licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 10. The written examination was administered by the licensee on October 28, 2016. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on October 31 - November 3, 2016.

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

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

None.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Initial Operator License Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

NRC examiners reviewed all license applications submitted to ensure each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. Examiners also audited six of the license applications in detail to confirm that they accurately reflected the subject applicants qualifications. This audit focused on the applicants experience and on-the-job training, including control manipulations that provided significant reactivity changes.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.2 Examination Development

a. Scope

NRC examiners 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 tests.

b. Findings

NRC examiners provided outline, draft examination, and post-validation comments to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to examination administration.

NRC examiners determined the written examinations and 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

On October 28, 2016, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all 23 applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on November 9, 2016.

The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants on October 31 - November 3, 2016.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

All applicants passed the written examination and all parts of the operating tests. The final written examinations and post examination analysis may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the attachment. There were no post examination comments as indicated in the licensee submittal.

The examination team noted two generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the dynamic scenario section of the operating tests.

The applicants displayed a weakness completing standard post trip actions in a timely manner. In general, between 20 and 25 minutes elapsed between reactor trip and entry into emergency operating plan optimal recovery or functional recovery procedures. It is the view of the examiners that this time could have been shortened without a reduction in quality by a more efficient employment of crew resources while traversing standard post trip actions and briefing status.

The applicants also displayed an inconsistent approach to isolating seismic- from non-seismic-qualified portions of the auxiliary feedwater system. The normal auxiliary feedwater system piping downstream of suction isolation valves CT-HV-4 and CT-HV-1 is non-seismic-qualified. The main control board displays a yellow placard instructing the crew that when normal auxiliary feedwater pump AFN-P01 is not in service, the aforementioned suction isolation valves should be shut. This is to prevent losing condensate storage tank inventory through a fault in non-seismic piping. When presented with loss of AFN-P01 during a major event, some crews did promptly isolate CT-HV-4 and CT-HV-1, but others did not, stating that it would be addressed at a later time. This issue was previously identified by the NRC during the August 2016 component design basis inspection, documented in NRC Inspection Report 05000528/2016007; 05000529/2016007; 05000530/2016007 (ML16280A625).

These observations of applicant performance represent additional data points as to the unresolved nature of the issue. The licensee stated that resolution of the issue is ongoing under Condition Report 16-12430, and generated Training Change Requests 4842349 and 4842350 to provide additional training on the issue in Licensed Operator Continuing Training.

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 examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified. However, two simulator-related issues occurred during exam administration that warrant discussion.

1. During performance of JPM S-6 to restore Containment Cooling in Simulator B, control switch HCA-HS-49 for the A train CEDM fan intermittently failed to pick up the override light when placed in the closed position. The examiner provided prompting to the affected applicant to mitigate the effects of the equipment failure and ensure proper control board indications were understood. The switch was determined to be failing due to bad contacts. A contingency measure was taken to transfer administration of JPM S-6 to Simulator A for the remainder of the applicants, which was successful. The condition was documented on a Minor Maintenance Form on November 3, 2016, and the switch was replaced on November 8, 2016.

2. During performance of JPM S-3 to raise Safety Injection Tank (SIT) pressure, SIT Nitrogen Fill Valves HV-632 and HV-639 indicated closed on the ERFDADS digital display when the valves were physically open on the main control board. The examiners cued the applicants that the ERFDADS displayed positions should match the control board positions, to ensure proper indications were understood. The condition was documented under Simulator Discrepancy Report DRC-2016-4218 and Condition Report 16-19274.

.5 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed examination security during both the onsite preparation week 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. J. Cadogan, Senior Vice President, Site Operations, and other members of the staff on November 3, 2016. A telephonic exit was conducted on November 17, 2016, between Mr. T. Farina, Chief Examiner, and Mr. P. McSparran, Operations Director.

The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

J. Allison, Section Leader, Simulator Support

J. Rodgers, Examination Writer

J. Stevens, Examination Writer

NRC Personnel

C. Peabody, Senior Resident Inspector