ML071660271

Er 05000327-07-301, 05000328-07-301; 4/9-5/9/2007; Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2; Licensed Operator Examinations

ML071660271
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	06/15/2007
From:	Haag R C Division of Reactor Safety II
To:	Campbell W R Tennessee Valley Authority
References
50-327/07-301, 50-328/07-301 50-327/07-301, 50-328/07-301
Download: ML071660271 (8)

See also: IR 05000327/2007301

Text

June 15, 2007Tennessee Valley AuthorityATTN:Mr. William R. CampbellChief Nuclear Officer and

Senior Vice President 6A Lookout Place

1101 Market Street

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801SUBJECT: SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT - NRC EXAMINATION REPORTNOS. 05000327/2007301 AND 05000328/2007301Dear Mr. Campbell:

During the period of April 9-11, 2007, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administeredoperating examinations to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate

the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. The examiners discussed examination questions and preliminary

findings related to the operating test with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed

report on April 12, 2007. The written examination was administered by your staff on May 9,

2007. The Chief Examiner discussed questions and preliminary findings related to the written

examination with members of your staff on May 23, 2007. Three Senior Reactor Operator applicants passed both the written and operating examinations. There were no post examination comments. A Simulation Facility 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 itsenclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Roomor from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS).

ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (thePublic Electronic Reading Room).Sincerely,\\RA\\Robert C. Haag, ChiefOperations Branch

Division of Reactor SafetyDocket Nos.: 50-327, 50-328License Nos.: DPR-77, DPR-79Enclosures: (See page 2)

TVA2Enclosures:1. Report Details2. Simulation Facility ReportAshok S. BhatnagarSenior Vice President

Nuclear Generation Development

and Construction

Tennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionPreston D. SwaffordSenior Vice President

Nuclear Support

Tennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionWalter M. Justice, IIInterim Vice President

Nuclear Engineering &

Technical Services

Tennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionRandy DouetSite Vice President

Sequoyah Nuclear Plant

Electronic Mail DistributionGeneral CounselTennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionJohn C. Fornicola, General ManagerNuclear Assurance

Tennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionBeth A. Wetzel, ManagerCorporate Nuclear Licensing and

Industry Affairs

Tennessee Valley Authority

4X Blue Ridge

1101 Market Street

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801Glenn W. Morris, ManagerLicensing and Industry Affairs

Sequoyah Nuclear Plant

Tennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionRobert H. Bryan, Jr., General ManagerLicensing and Industry Affairs

Sequoyah Nuclear Plant

Tennessee Valley Authority

4X Blue Ridge

1101 Market Street

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801David A. Kulisek, Plant ManagerSequoyah Nuclear Plant

Tennessee Valley Authority

Electronic Mail DistributionLawrence E. Nanney, DirectorTN Dept. of Environment & Conservation

Division of Radiological Health

Electronic Mail DistributionCounty MayorHamilton County Courthouse

Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801Ann Harris341 Swing Loop

Rockwood, TN 37854

James H. Bassham, DirectorTennessee Emergency Management

Agency

Electronic Mail DistributionMr. Thomas Wallace Training Manager

Sequoyah Training Center

Igou Ferry Road

Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379

_________________________OFFICERII:DRSRII:DRSRII:DRPSIGNATUREMAB7RCHSMS\ForNAMEMBatesRHaagMWidmannDATE6/13/20076/13/20076/13/20076/ /20076/ /20076/ /20076/ /2007

E-MAIL COPY? YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO YESNO

Enclosure 1NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONREGION IIDocket Nos.:50-327, 50-328License Nos.:DPR-77, DPR-79

Report Nos.:05000327/2007301 and 05000328/2007301

Licensee:Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

Facility:Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 & 2

Location:Sequoyah Access RoadSoddy-Daisy, TN 37379Dates:Operating Tests - April 9-11, 2007Written Examination - May 9, 2007Examiners:M. Bates, Chief ExaminerR. Aiello, Senior Operations Engineer

B. Caballero, Operations Engineer Approved by:R. Haag, ChiefOperations Branch

Division of Reactor Safety

SUMMARY OF FINDINGSER 05000327/2007301, 05000328/2007301; 4/9-5/9/2007; Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant,Units 1 and 2; Licensed Operator Examinations.The NRC examiners conducted operator licensing initial examinations in accordance with theguidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,

Rev. 9. This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements of 10 CFR §55.41,

§55.43, and §55.45. The NRC administered the operating tests during the period of April 9-11, 2007. Members ofthe Sequoyah Nuclear Plant training staff administered the written examination on May 9, 2007.

The operator licensing initial written examinations and operating tests were developed by the

licensee. Three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the written and

operating examinations and were issued SRO licenses.The initial written examination submittal was determined to be outside of the acceptable qualityrange as outlined in NUREG-1021. Twenty-nine out of 75 questions on the RO examination

were significantly modified or replaced and 9 out of 25 questions on the SRO examination were

significantly modified or replaced as a result of the NRC's review of the submittal. Question

flaws, which caused questions to be rated as unsatisfactory, included non-plausible distractors,

questions not testing knowledge required by the selected topic, and SRO questions not written

to test knowledge that is unique to the SRO position. Future examination submittals shouldincorporate lessons learned from this effort.

Report Details4.OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)4OA5Operator Licensing Initial Examinations

a.Inspection ScopeThe licensee developed the operating tests and written examinations. The NRCexamination team reviewed the proposed to determine whether it was developed in

accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power

Reactors," Revision 9. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the

licensee were made according to NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of

the examination materials.The examiners reviewed the licensee's examination security measures while preparingand administering the examinations to ensure examination security and integrity

complied with 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of examinations and tests. The examiners evaluated three SRO applicants who were being assessed under theguidelines specified in NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating testsduring the period

of April 9-11, 2007. Members of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant trainingstaff administered the written examination on May 9, 2007. The evaluations of theapplicants and review of documentation were performed to determine if the applicants,

who applied for licensees to operate the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, met requirements

specified in 10 CFR Part 55. b.FindingsThe initial written examination submittal did not include adequate reference material, asrequested in NRC correspondence from Robert C. Haag to Karl W. Singer, dated

November 9, 2006, to allow the NRC Chief Examiner to adequately review the

examination. Additional reference material was subsequently provided on April 12,

2007. Also, the initial written examination submittal was evaluated to be outside of the

acceptable quality range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Twenty-nine out of 75 questions

on the RO examination were significantly modified or replaced and 9 out of 25 questions

on the SRO examination were significantly modified or replaced as a result of the NRC's

review of the submittal. Question flaws, which caused questions to be rated as

unsatisfactory, included non-plausible distractors, questions not testing knowledge

required by the selected topic, and SRO questions not written to test knowledge that is

unique to the SRO position. Future examination submittals should incorporate lessons

learned from this effort.A portion of the written examination was developed by the licensee and submitted forpreliminary NRC review prior to the agreed upon submittal date. The licensee then

removed the initial examination developer from examination development activities in

order for the individual to instruct the applicants who were scheduled to take the

examination. All examination material that had been developed up to that point was

required to be discarded due to examination security requirements contained in

NUREG-1021. Examination development was re-commenced with a new examinationdevelopment team and a revised agreed upon written examination date of May 3, 2007.

The written examination was further delayed until May 9, 2007, due to the revisions that

were required due to the examination submittal being outside the acceptable quality

range as outlined in NUREG-1021. Three SROs passed both the operating test and written examination. The licenseesubmitted no post examination comments concerning the written or operating

examinations. The written examination, and examination references may be accessedin the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Number ML071490433, ML071440462,

ML071440467).4OA6MeetingsExit Meeting SummaryOn April 12, 2007, the Chief Examiner discussed generic applicant performance andexamination development issues with members of licensee management. The

inspectors asked the licensee whether any materials examined during the inspection

should be considered proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.On May 23, 2007, the Chief Examiner discussed written examination developmentissues with members of licensee management.PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED

LicenseeR. Douet, Site Vice PresidentG. Morris, Site Licensing Manager

T. Wallace, Training Manager

D. Boone, Radiation Protection Manager

B. Picchiottino, Operations Training Manager

R. Proffitt, Licensing Supervisor

M. Reese, Operations Training

D. Truong, Nuclear Assurance

T. Whitten, Operations

NRCM. Speck, Resident Inspector

Enclosure 2SIMULATION FACILITY REPORTFacility Licensee: Sequoyah Nuclear StationFacility Docket No.: 05000327/05000328

Operating Tests Administered on: April 9-11, 2007

This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute auditor inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with IP 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 tests, examiners did not observe anysimulation fidelity issues.