IR 05000244/2019302

R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant - Operator Licensing Retake Examination Report 05000244/2019302

ML19302D922
Person / Time
Site:	Ginna
Issue date:	10/28/2019
From:	Diane Jackson Operations Branch I
To:	Bryan Hanson Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
Jackson D
References
50-244/19-02 50-244/OL-19, ER 2019302
Download: ML19302D922 (9)

Text

ber 28, 2019

SUBJECT:

R. E. GINNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT - OPERATOR LICENSING RETAKE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000244/2019302

Dear Mr. Hanson:

On July 30, 2019, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an operator licensing retake examination at R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. The enclosed examination report documents the retake examination results, which were discussed on October 3, 2019, with Mr. Paul Swift, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff.

The retake examination included the evaluation of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license. The written and operating examinations were developed using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 11.

The license examiners determined that 3 of the 5 applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses were issued on October 3, 2019.

No findings were identified during this examination.

One applicant for a reactor operator license failed the operating (walkthrough) portion of the exam and was denied a license. One applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license failed the written exam and was denied a license. This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with 10 CFR Part 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Donald E. Jackson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-244 License No. DPR-18 Enclosure:

Examination Report 05000244/2019302 w/Attachment: Supplementary Information cc w/encl: Distribution via ListServ

SUMMARY

ER 05000244/2019302; July 23, 2019 - July 30, 2019; R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant

Operator Licensing Retake Examination Report.

Two NRC examiners evaluated the competency of two applicants for reactor operator licenses, two applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license at R. E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. The licensee developed the examinations using NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 11. The written examination was administered by the facility on July 30, 2019. NRC examiners administered the operating tests on July 23-25, 2019. The NRC examiners determined that 3 of the 5 applicants satisfied the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.

NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings

No findings were identified.

Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other Activities (Operator License Retake Examination)

.1 License Applications

a. Scope

The examiners reviewed all five license applications submitted by the licensee to ensure the applications reflected that each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The applications were submitted on NRC Form 398, Personal Qualification Statement, and NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee. The examiners also audited 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 Operator Knowledge and Performance

a. Examination Scope

On July 30, 2019, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examination to three of the applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis to the NRC on August 14, 2019.

The NRC examination team administered various portions of the operating examination to three of the applicants on July 23-25, 2019. Two applicants for reactor operator licenses participated in a facilities walkthrough test consisting of 11 system tasks, and an administrative test consisting of four administrative tasks. One applicant seeking an instant senior reactor operator license participated in two dynamic simulator scenarios, a control room and facilities walkthrough test consisting of ten system tasks, an administrative test consisting of five administrative tasks, and a written retake examination. One applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license took only the written retake examination.

b. Findings

One applicant for a reactor operator license, one applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license passed their required portions of the retake exam, and the appropriate licenses were issued on October 3, 2019. One applicant for a reactor operator license failed the operating (walkthrough) portion of the exam. One applicant for an instant senior reactor operator license failed the written exam.

For the written examinations, the senior reactor operator applicants overall average score was 82.7 percent and ranged from 79.3 to 87.6 percent. The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on September 23, 2019. The text of the examination questions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in the Attachment. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this written examination in ADAMS to the public will be delayed for two years.

Chapter ES-403 and Form ES-403-1 of NUREG 1021 require the licensee to analyze the validity of any written examination questions that were missed by half or more of the applicants. The licensee conducted this performance analysis and submitted the analysis to the chief examiner. The licensee submitted post-examination comments, including an analysis of the written examination, on August 14, 2019. The analysis included comments from both the licensee and the applicants. This analysis requested changes to seven questions (#2, 8, 37, 61, 67, 81, and 100), including accepting more than one correct answer, or deleting questions due to all or no distractors being correct.

The licensee provided formal written analyses for three of the questions (#8, 81, and 100). Comments on the remaining four questions (#2, 37, 61, and 67) were provided in a table and were attributed to each respective applicant who authored the comment.

There were no post-examination comments provided on the operating test portion of the retake examination.

The NRC reviewed both the licensee and applicant post-exam comment submittal package and accepted their recommendations on three of the seven written exam questions. Specifically, questions #8, 67, and 100 were deleted from the exam.

Questions #2, 37, 61, and 81 were determined to be acceptable as administered and required no post-exam changes. Because of the three questions being deleted, the applicants were regraded based on a total of 97 questions. The licensees post-examination comments with the NRC resolutions may be accessed in the ADAMS system under the accession numbers noted in Attachment 1. In accordance with current NRC policy, the release of this written examination will be delayed for two years.

.3 Operator Licensing Retake Examination Development

a. Examination Scope

The licensee developed the examinations in accordance with NUREG-1021, Revision 11. All licensee facility training and operations staff involved in examination preparation and validation were listed on a security agreement. The NRC submitted the written examination outline for facility review on January 14, 2019. The licensee submitted the draft examination for review on May 3, 2019. The licensee reviewed the written outline against the requirements of NUREG-1021 and provided comments to the NRC. The NRC reviewed the draft written examination package against the requirements of NUREG-1021 and provided initial comments to the licensee on May 28, 2019. The NRC conducted an onsite validation of the operating examinations during the week of June 17, 2019. The NRC satisfactorily completed resolution of written examination comments on July 11, 2019.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.4 Simulation Facility Performance

a. Examination Scope

The examiners observed simulator performance regarding plant fidelity during the examination validation and administration.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

.5 Examination Security

a. Examination Scope

The examiners reviewed examination security for examination development during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with NUREG-1021, Revision 11 requirements. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.

b. Findings

No findings were identified.

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

The chief examiner presented the examination results to Mr. Paul Swift, Site Vice President, and other members of the licensee's management staff on October 3, 2019.

The licensee acknowledged the results presented.

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

4OA7 Licensee-Identified Violations

None.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee Personnel

D. Hurlburt, Operations Training Manager

D. Eckert, Exam Developer

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

NONE

Opened and Closed

NONE

Closed

NONE

Discussed

NONE