ML091480270

NRC Operator License Examination Report 05000321-09-301 and 05000366-09-301

ML091480270
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	05/28/2009
From:	Widmann M Division of Reactor Safety II
To:	Madison D Southern Nuclear Operating Co
References
50-321/09-301, 50-366/09-301
Download: ML091480270 (9)

See also: IR 05000321/2009301

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II SAM NUNN ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER 61 FORSYTH STREET, SW, SUITE 23T85 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8931

May 28, 2009

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. ATTN: Mr. Dennis R. Madison

Vice President - Hatch Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant 11028 Hatch Parkway North Baxley, GA 31513

SUBJECT: EDWIN I. HATCH NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000321/2009301 AND 05000366/2009301

Dear Mr. Madison:

During the period April 20 - 22, 2009, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2. At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating tests and the written examination submittal with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by your staff on April 30, 2009.

All applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. There were no post-examination comments. A Simulator Fidelity Report is included in this report as Enclosure 2.

In accordance with 10 CFR 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 (PARS) component of the NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 562-4550.

Sincerely, /RA/ Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief Operations Branch

Division of Reactor Safety

Docket Nos: 50-321, 50-366 License Nos: DPR-57, NPF-5

Enclosures: 1. Report Details 2. Simulator Fidelity Report

(cc: w/encl - See Page 2)

SNC 2 cc w/encl: Angela Thornhill Managing Attorney and Compliance Officer Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Electronic Mail Distribution

Jeffrey T. Gasser Executive Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Electronic Mail Distribution

Raymond D. Baker Licensing Manager Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution

L. Mike Stinson Vice President Fleet Operations Support Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Electronic Mail Distribution

David H. Jones Vice President Engineering Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Electronic Mail Distribution

Moanica Caston Vice President and General Counsel Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

Electronic Mail Distribution

Steven B. Tipps Hatch Principal Engineer - Licensing Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant

Electronic Mail Distribution

Mr. Ken Rosanski Resident Manager Edwin I. Hatch Oglethorpe Power Corporation Electronic Mail Distribution

Lee Foley Manager of Contracts Generation Oglethorpe Power Corporation Electronic Mail Distribution

Bob Masse Resident Manager Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Oglethorpe Power Corporation

Electronic Mail Distribution

Senior Resident Inspector Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant U.S. NRC 11030 Hatch Parkway N

Baxley, GA 30334

Arthur H. Domby, Esq. Troutman Sanders Electronic Mail Distribution

Dr. Carol Couch Director Environmental Protection Department of Natural Resources

Electronic Mail Distribution

Cynthia Sanders Program Manager Radioactive Materials Program

Department of Natural Resources Electronic Mail Distribution

Jim Sommerville (Acting) Chief

Environmental Protection Division Department of Natural Resources Electronic Mail Distribution

(cc: w/encl - Cont'd See Page 3)

SNC 3 cc w/encl: Mr. Steven M. Jackson Senior Engineer - Power Supply

Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia Electronic Mail Distribution

Mr. Reece McAlister Executive Secretary

Georgia Public Service Commission Electronic Mail Distribution

Chairman Appling County Commissioners County Courthouse 69 Tippins Street, Suite 201

Baxley, GA 31513

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. ATTN: Mr. John Hammonds Training Manager

Hatch Nuclear Plant 11028 Hatch Parkway North Baxley, GA 31513

Enclosure 1 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION II

Docket No.: 50-321, 50-366

License No.: DPR-57, NPF-5

Report No.: 05000321/2009301 and 05000366/2009301

Licensee: Southern Nuclear Power Company (SNPCO)

Facility: Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2

Location: 11030 Hatch Parkway N. Baxley, GA 31513

Dates: Operating Test - April 20 - 22, 2009 Written Examination - April 30, 2009

Examiners: Bruno Caballero, Chief Examiner, Operations Engineer Phil Capehart, Operations Engineer

Approved by: Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

Enclosure 1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000321/2009301 and 05000366/2009301; April 20 - 22, 2009 & April 30, 2009; Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 2; Operator License Examinations.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in

accordance with the guidelines in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicable.

Members of the Edwin I. Hatch staff developed both the operating tests and the written

examination.

The NRC administered the operating tests during the period April 20 - 22, 2009. Members of the Edwin I. Hatch training staff administered the written examination on April 30, 2009. All Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. One Reactor Operator (RO), who had previously passed the operating exam, but had failed a written examination, passed the written examination and was waived from the

operating test. All applicants were issued licenses commensurate with the level of examination administered. There were no post-examination comments.

No findings of significance were identified.

Enclosure 1 REPORT DETAILS

4. OTHER ACTIVITIES

4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations

a. Inspection Scope

Members of the Edwin I. Hatch staff developed both the operating tests and the written examination. All examination material was developed in accordance with the guidelines contained in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing

Examination Standards for Power Reactors." The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examination. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.

The NRC reviewed the licensee's examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR §55.49,

"Integrity of examinations and tests."

The NRC examiners evaluated two Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating tests during the period April 20 - 22, 2009. Members of the Edwin I. Hatch training staff

administered the written examination on April 30, 2009, to two SRO applicants and one RO applicant. Evaluations of applicants and reviews of associated documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licenses to operate the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55, "Operators' Licenses."

b. Findings

No findings of significance were identified.

The NRC determined, using NUREG-1021 that the licensee's examination submittal (operating and written) was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

Both Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and

written examination. One Reactor Operator (RO), who had previously passed the operating exam, but failed the written, passed the written retake examination and was waived from the operating test. One RO applicant and two SRO applicants were issued licenses.

Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial training.

4 Enclosure 1 The licensee did not submit any post-examination comments. A copy of the final RO written examination and answer key and final SRO written examination and answer key (SRO exam in 2 parts) with all changes incorporated, may be accessed in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML091320207, ML091320198, and ML091320204, respectively).

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

Exit Meeting Summary

On April 23, 2009 the NRC examination team discussed generic issues associated with

the operating test with Mr. Sonny L. Bargeron, Plant Manager, and members of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant staff. The examiners asked the licensee if any of the examination material was proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee personnel

Sonny L. Bargeron, Plant Manager Gary R. Brinson, Operations Manager Steve Grantham, Operations Training Supervisor

Charlie Edmund, Plant Instructor - Lead

NRC personnel

Phil Niebaum, Resident Inspector

Enclosure 2 SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: Edwin I. Hatch

Facility Docket No.: 50-321, 50-366

Operating Test Administered: April 20 - 22, 2009

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 Inspection Procedure 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 test, examiners observed the following:

Item Description

1. SCR 20090402: During a loss of Control Rod Drive at low power (2%, pressure @ 400 psig), mfC12_27_22_23, "Accumulator Trouble light for rod 22-23" was activated. This rod was fully inserted. At this time, both CRD pumps were off. When a CRD

pump was started, the rod with the accumulator malfunction received a rod drift. This rod drift was not expected and the reason for receiving it was not obvious. Only the rod with the accumulator malfunction (12_27_22-23) received the rod drift. Subsequently, the simulator was reset and the accumulator

malfunction was activated on a different control rod (C12_12_30_23). When a CRD pump was started, only the rod with the accumulator malfunction received the rod drift. The indications on the CRD system at the time were that CRD discharge pressure reached 1500 psig, the flow control valves

were closed, and cooling water flow went to approximately 10 gpm.

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