IR 05000298/2020302
| ML20321A323 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Cooper  |
| Issue date: | 11/18/2020 |
| From: | Greg Werner Operations Branch IV |
| To: | Dent J Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) |
| References | |
| Download: ML20321A323 (13) | |
Text
November 18, 2020
SUBJECT:
COOPER NUCLEAR STATION - NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000298/2020302
Dear Mr. Dent:
On October 23, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an initial operator license examination at Cooper Nuclear Station. The enclosed report documents the examination results and licensing decisions. The preliminary examination results were discussed on September 28, 2020, with you and other members of your staff. A telephonic exit meeting was conducted on October 23, 2020, with Mr. James Florence, Simulator and Training Support Superintendent, who was provided the NRC licensing decisions.
The examination included the evaluation of one applicant for a reactor operator license, seven applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for an upgrade senior reactor operator license. The license examiners determined that six of the nine applicants satisfied the requirements of Title10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 55 (10 CFR Part 55) and the appropriate licenses have been issued. There were three post-examination comments submitted by your staff. Enclosure 1 contains details of this report and Enclosure 2 summarizes post-examination comment resolution.
No findings were identified during this examination.
J. Dent, Jr. 2 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 at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Gregory E. Werner, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 05000298 License No. DPR-46 Enclosures:
1. Examination Report 05000298/2020302 w/attachment: Supplemental Information 2. NRC Post-Examination Comment Resolution cc: Electronic Distribution to Cooper Nuclear Station
ML20321A323 SUNSI Review: ADAMS: Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Keyword:
By: JCK Yes No Publicly Available Sensitive NRC-002 OFFICE SOE:OB SOE:OB SOE:OB C:OB C:PBC C:OB NAME TFarina COsterholtz JKirkland GWerner JKozal GWerner SIGNATURE /RA/ /RA/ /RA/ GEW /RA/ /RA/
DATE 11/10/2020 11/12/2020 11/10/2020 11/16/2020 11/18/2020 11/18/2020
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Examination Report Docket Number: 05000298 License Number: DPR-46 Report Number: 05000298/2020302 Enterprise Identifier: L-2020-OLL-0014 Licensee: Nebraska Public Power District Facility: Cooper Nuclear Station Location: Brownville, Nebraska Inspection Dates: August 25, 2020, to October 23, 2020 Examiners: J. Kirkland, Senior Operations Engineer (Chief Examiner)
T. Farina, Senior Operations Engineer C. Osterholtz, Senior Operations Engineer Approved By: Gregory E. Werner, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1
SUMMARY
Examination Report 05000298/2020302; August 20-October 23, 2020; Cooper Nuclear Station;
Initial Operator Licensing Examination Report The NRC examiners evaluated the competency of one applicant for reactor operator license, seven applicants for instant senior reactor operator licenses, and one applicant for upgrade senior reactor operator license at Cooper Nuclear Station.
The NRC developed the written examination and the licensee developed the operating test using NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 11. The written examination was administered by the licensee on September 29, 2020. The NRC examiners administered the operating tests on September 21 - 24, 2020.
The NRC examiners determined that six of the nine applicants satisfied the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55, and the appropriate licenses have been issued.
NRC-Identified and Self-Revealing Findings
None.
Licensee-Identified Violations
None.
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES
- INITIAL LICENSE EXAM
.1 License Applications
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed all license applications submitted to ensure each applicant satisfied relevant license eligibility requirements. The NRC examiners also audited three of 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 Examination Development
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed integrated examination outlines and draft examinations submitted by the licensee against the requirements of NUREG-1021. The NRC examiners conducted an onsite validation of the operating tests.
b. Findings
The NRC examiners provided outline, draft examination and post-validation comments to the licensee. The licensee satisfactorily completed comment resolution prior to examination administration.
The NRC examiners determined the operating tests initially submitted by the licensee were within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
.3 Operator Knowledge and Performance
a. Scope
On September 29, 2020, the licensee proctored the administration of the written examinations to all applicants. The licensee staff graded the written examinations, analyzed the results, and presented their analysis and post-examination comments to the NRC on October 13, 2020.
The NRC examination team administered the various portions of the operating tests to all applicants from September 21-24, 2020.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
Six applicants passed the written examination and all parts of the operating test, two applicants did not pass the written examination, and one applicant did not pass the operating test. The final examinations and post-examination analysis and comments may be accessed in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under the accession numbers noted in the attachment.
The examination team noted one generic weakness associated with applicant performance on the simulator job performance measures section of the operating tests.
The applicants displayed a weakness in performing a quick restart of a reactor feed pump.
Post-examination analysis revealed ten generic weaknesses associated with applicant performance on the written examination. The applicants displayed weaknesses with:
- actions following of loss of shutdown cooling heat exchanger cooling
- effects of the plant following an inadvertent closure of a main steam isolation valve
- effects on reactor power following a main turbine bypass valve closing
- component failure on a loss of cooling to a control rod drive pump
- effects on feedwater heater level following a controller failure
- standby gas treatment discharge flow and torus flow path following a loss of instrument air
- actions required with reactor pressure vessel level greater than 50 inches
- technical specification actions required with shutdown margin out of specification
- basis for the minimum required number of operable source range monitor instruments
- actions following a reactor water cleanup pump failure Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility training manager for evaluation and determination of appropriate remedial training.
.4 Simulation Facility Performance
a. Scope
The NRC examiners observed simulator performance with regard to plant fidelity during examination validation and administration.
b. Findings
No findings were identified.
.5 Examination Security
a. Scope
The NRC examiners reviewed examination security for examination development during both the onsite preparation week and examination administration week for compliance with 10 CFR 55.49 and NUREG-1021. Plans for simulator security and applicant control were reviewed and discussed with licensee personnel.
Findings No findings were identified.
EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS
Exit Meeting Summary
The Chief Examiner presented the preliminary examination results to Mr. J. Dent, Jr., Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, and other members of the staff on September 28, 2020. A telephonic exit was conducted on October 23, 2020, between Mr. J. Kirkland, Chief Examiner, and Mr. J. Florence, Simulator and Training Support Superintendent.
The licensee did not identify any information or materials used during the examination as proprietary.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee Personnel
- M. Joe, Training Manager
- J. Florence, Simulator and Training Support Superintendent
NRC Personnel
- A. Siwy, Senior Resident Inspector