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:	Anderson R L 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

Mr. Richard Vice President NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC 3277 DAEC Road Palo, IA 52324-9785

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 cc w/encls: Distribution via ListServŽ Mr. William Simmons, Training Manager

Enclosure 1 U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 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 1 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)

1

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The NRC examiners and members of the facility licensee's 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 licensee's 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 licensee's 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 licensee's 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 licensee's 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 licensee's 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 licensee's Corrective Action Program and actions were initiated to prevent reoccurrence.

4OA6 Management Meetings

.2 Exit Meeting The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on April 25, 2013, with Mr. R. Anderson, Site Vice President, by telephone.

The NRC's final disposition of the station's 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.

LIST OF DOCUMENTS REVIEWED

The following is a partial list of documents reviewed during the inspection.

Inclusion on this list does not imply that the NRC inspector reviewed the documents in their entirety, but rather that selected sections or portions of the documents were evaluated as part of the overall inspection effort.

Inclusion of a document on this list does not imply NRC acceptance of the document or any part of it, unless this is stated in the body of the inspection report.

AR 01811771; Violation of TDAP 1836 NRC Exam Security Requirements; October 10, 2012

Attachment

LIST OF ACRONYMS

USED [[]]

ADAMS Agencywide Document Access and Management System

AR Action Request

DRS Division of Reactor Safety

JPM Job Performance Measure

NRC [[]]

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

PARS Publicly Available Records System

RO Reactor Operator

SRO Senior Reactor Operator

SIMULA TION FACILITY

REPORT Facility Licensee: Duane Arnold Energy Center Facility Docket No: 50-331 Operating Tests Administered: April 8 - 12, 2013 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

10 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

R. Anderson -2-

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 cc w/encls: Distribution via ListServŽ Mr. William Simmons, Training Manager

DISTRIBUTION w/encls: Doug Huyck

RidsNrrDorlLpl3-1 Resource

RidsNrrPMDuaneArnold Resource RidsNrrDirsIrib Resource Chuck Casto

Cynthia Pederson

Steven Orth

Allan Barker Carole Ariano Linda Linn

DRPIII [[]]

DRSIII Patricia Buckley Tammy Tomczak

John McHale,

NRR Janet Kweiser,

DRS DOCUMENT NAME:

DUA 2013 301

RDB. docx Publicly Available Non-Publicly Available Sensitive Non-Sensitive To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the concurrence box "C" = Copy without attach/encl "E" = Copy with attach/encl "N" = No copy

OFFICE [[]]

RIII [[]]

RIII [[]]

RIII [[]]

RIII [[]]

NAME RBaker:cs RKWalton for HPeterson

DATE 05/31/13 05/31/13

OFFICI AL

RECORD [[]]

COPY [[]]