IR 05000255/2007301

Er 05000255-07-301, on 09/10/07 - 09/14/07, Palisades Nuclear Plant; Initial License Examination Report

ML072960550
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	10/22/2007
From:	Hironori Peterson Division of Reactor Safety III
To:	Schwarz C Entergy Nuclear Operations
References
50-255/07-301 50-255/07-301
Download: ML072960550 (12)

Text

ber 22, 2007

SUBJECT:

PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000255/2007301(DRS)

Dear Mr. Schwarz:

On September 12, 2007, the NRC completed initial operator licensing examinations at your Palisades Nuclear Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of the examination which were discussed on September 13, 2007, with you and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted via telephone on September 28, 2007, with Mr. T. Mayfield and members of the Palisades Training Department staff.

The NRC examiners administered initial license examination operating tests during the week of September 10, 2007. Members of the Palisades Training Department administered an initial license written examination on September 14, 2007, to the applicants. Two senior reactor operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on October 12, 2007. Both applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of two senior reactor operator licenses.

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 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). We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-255 License No. DPR-20

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000255/2007301(DRS)

w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report 3. Post Examination Comments and Resolutions 4. Written Examinations and Answer Keys (RO/SRO)

REGION III==

Docket Nos: 50-255 License Nos: DPR-20 Report No: 05000255/2007301(DRS)

Licensee: Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc Facility: Palisades Nuclear Plant Location: Covert, MI Dates: September 10 through 14, 2007 Examiners: B. Palagi, Chief Examiner D. Reeser, Examiner Approved by: Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000255/2007301(DRS); 09/10/07 - 09/14/07; Palisades Nuclear Plant;

Initial License Examination Report.

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

Examination Summary:

$ Two examinations were administered (two senior reactor operators).

$ Two applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of two senior reactor operator licenses.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The NRC examiners conducted an announced operator licensing initial examination during the week of September 10, 2007. The facility licensees training staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, to prepare the outline and develop the written examination and operating test. The examiners administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of September 10 through 12, 2007. The facility licensee administered the written examination on September 14, 2007. Two senior reactor operator applicants were examined. During the on-site validation week of August 20, 2007, the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy.

b. Findings

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

All changes made to the submitted examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors. The licensee had no post examination comments on the written examination.

Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination. All changes made to the submitted examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." The licensee had no post examination comments on the operating test.

Examination Results Two applicants passed all sections of their examinations resulting in the issuance of two senior reactor operator licenses.

.2 Examination Security

a. Inspection Scope

The NRC examiners briefed the facility contact on the NRCs requirements and guidelines related to examination physical security (e.g., access restrictions and simulator considerations) and integrity in accordance with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests, and NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standard for Power Reactors. The examiners reviewed and observed the licensees implementation and controls of examination security and integrity measures (e.g.,

security agreements) throughout the examination process.

b. Findings

No findings were noted in this area.

4OA6 Meetings

Debrief The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on September 13, 2007, to Mr. C. Schwarz and members of the Palisades Operations and Training Department staff. 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.

Exit Meeting The chief examiner conducted an exit via teleconference on September 28, 2007, with Mr. T. Mayfield, and members of the Palisades Training Department staff.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

C. Schwarz, Site Vice President

T. Davis, Operations Training Superintendent

S. Martin, Training Supervisor

J. Iliff, Operations Instructor

P. Schmidt, Simulator Supervisor

T. Mayfield, Fleet Training Manager

B. Dotson, Site Compliance

NRC

J. Ellegood, Senior Resident Inspector

B. Palagi, Chief Examiner

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None

LIST OF ACRONYMS

ADAMS Agency-Wide Document Access and Management System

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DRS Division of Reactor Safety

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

PARS Publicly Available Records System

RO Reactor Operator

SRO Senior Reactor Operator

Attachment

SIMULATION FACILITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: Palisades Nuclear Plant

Facility Licensee Docket No.: 50-255

Operating Tests Administered: September 10 through 13, 2007

The following documents observations made by the NRC examination team during the initial

operator license examination. These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings

and are not, without further verification and review, indicative of non-compliance with

CFR 55.45(b). These observations do not affect NRC certification or approval of the

simulation facility other than to provide information which may be used in future evaluations.

No licensee action is required in response to these observations.

During the conduct of the simulator portion of the operating tests, the following items were

observed:

ITEM DESCRIPTION

None. None.

Enclosure 2

POST EXAMINATION COMMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS

There were no post examinations comments submitted.

Enclosure 3

WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS AND ANSWER KEYS (RO/SRO)

RO Initial Examination ADAMS Accession #ML072910367

SRO Initial Examination ADAMS Accession #ML072910375

Enclosure 4