IR 05000254/2005301
| ML051520235 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 05/31/2005 |
| From: | Hironori Peterson Division of Reactor Safety III |
| To: | Crane C Exelon Generation Co |
| References | |
| 50-254/05-301, 50-265/05-301 ER-05-301 | |
| Download: ML051520235 (13) | |
Text
May 31, 2005
SUBJECT:
QUAD CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION NRC EXAMINATION REPORT 05000254/2005301(DRS);
Dear Mr. Crane:
On May 6, 2005, the NRC completed initial operator licensing examinations at your Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station. The enclosed report presents the results of the examination.
The NRC examiners administered initial license examination operating tests during the week of May 2, 2005, for one senior reactor operator and two reactor operator applicants. Members of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station Training Department administered an initial license written examination on May 6, 2005, to the applicants. The results of the operating tests and written examinations were finalized on May 19, 2005. All three applicants passed all sections of their corresponding examinations and were issued senior reactor operator or reactor operator licenses, as applicable.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its enclosure 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 document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.
Sincerely,
/RA by Charles Phillips Acting for/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket Nos. 50-254; 50-265 License Nos. DPR-29; DPR-30
Enclosures:
1.
Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000254/2005301(DRS); 05000265/2005301(DRS)
2.
Simulation Facility Report 3.
Written Examinations and Answer Keys (RO/SRO)
REGION III==
Docket No:
50-254; 50-265 License No:
Licensee:
Exelon Generating Company, LLC Facility:
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station Location:
22710 206th Avenue North Cordova, IL 61242 Dates:
May 2 through May 6, 2005 Examiners:
N. Valos, Chief Examiner C. Phillips, Examiner Approved by:
H. Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Enclosure 1
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000254/2005301(DRS); ER 05000265/2005301(DRS); 05/02/2005 - 05/06/2005; Quad
Cities Nuclear Power Station; Initial License Examination Report.
The announced operator licensing initial examination was conducted by regional examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9.
Examination Summary
- One senior reactor operator (SRO) and two reactor operator (RO) applicants were each administered an initial license operating test and written examination.
- All three applicants (one SRO and two RO) passed all sections of their respective examinations and were issued applicable senior reactor operator and reactor operator licenses. (Section 4OA5.1)
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Inspection Scope
The NRC examiners conducted announced operator licensing initial examinations during the period of May 2 through May 6, 2005. The facility licensees training staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, to prepare the outline and develop the written examination and operating test. The examiners administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of May 2 through May 5, 2005. The facility licensee administered the written examination on May 6, 2005. One senior reactor operator applicant and two reactor operator applicants received written examinations and operating tests.
b. Findings
Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as originally submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
All changes made to the submitted examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors. The licensee had no post-examination comments on the written examination.
Operating Test The NRC examiners determined that the operating test, as originally submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.
All changes made to the submitted examination were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors.
Examination Results All three applicants passed all portions of their respective examinations and were issued applicable licenses.
.2 Examination Security
a. Inspection Scope
The NRC examiners briefed the facility contact on the NRCs requirements and guidelines related to examination physical security (e.g., access restrictions and simulator considerations). The examiners reviewed and observed the licensees implementation and controls of examination security during the examination preparation and administration.
b. Findings
The licensees implementation of examination security requirements during examination preparation and administration was acceptable and met the guidelines provided in NUREG-1021, Revision 9. However, during the development of the initial license examination, the licensee notified the NRC of two issues which had the potential to affect the integrity of the written examination.
The first issue associated with examination security was identified by the licensee on January 19, 2005, when it was identified that the mechanical pushbutton door locks on the entrance door to the initial license examination development room could remain unlocked if the combination was entered and the outer door handle was not operated.
This would allow an unauthorized person subsequent access to the examination development room. An evaluation was conducted, wherein it was determined that no actual examination compromise occurred because examination material was locked within a secure locker when no authorized personnel were in the examination development room. A Nuclear Event Report (NER QC-05-022) was issued to alert Exelon facilities of the door lock issue and department instructors were notified of the need to always operate the outer door handle each time the combination was entered.
The second issue associated with examination security was identified by the licensee on February 21, 2005. It was determined that it was possible to access the simulator video and audio signals in a classroom (Room 110) located outside the exam security boundary. When the training building video system was upgraded in 2003, a feed to Room 110 was connected to the output of the simulator instructor booth DVD recorder.
Turning off the recorder was proceduralized in TQ-QC-201-0113, Quad Cities Training Department Simulator Examination Security Actions Checklist, to ensure that no remote viewing or recording was possible. In 2004, a 4-button switch was added so that the feed to the classroom could be disabled, while keeping the DVD recorder on. When this change was made, no changes were made to TQ-QC-201-0113 to prevent use of the switch to establish a live feed to the classroom during examination validation.
An evaluation was conducted wherein it was determined that no actual examination compromise occurred. This evaluation was based on:
- (1) a complex sequence of actions required to obtain an audio/visual signal in Room 110;
- (2) the availability of a signal in Room 110 was not well known; and
- (3) the scheduling of the simulator for exam material development was typically performed at times when the initial license candidates were not in the training building (i.e., on weekends). A Nuclear Events Report (NER QC-05-041) was issued to alert Exelon facilities of the issue and
TQ-QC-201-0113 was revised to include a step to verify that the video and audio cables that feed Room 110 were disconnected.
The licensee documented these issues in their corrective action program as Action Request (AR) Number 00292100 and AR Number 00303754. The NRC examiners were appropriately notified of the issues. The examiners reviewed the licensees investigation and assessed the issues for a possible violation of 10 CFR 55.49, Integrity of Examinations and Tests. The examiners determined that no actual examination compromise had occurred. The violations were considered minor in nature and were not subject to enforcement action in accordance with NRC enforcement policy.
4OA6 Meetings
.1 Exit Meeting
The chief examiner presented the examination teams preliminary observations and findings to members of the licensee management on May 5, 2005. No proprietary items were identified during the administration of the examination nor during the exit meeting with the licensee. The licensee acknowledged the observations and findings presented.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- T. Tulon, Site Vice President
- R. Armitage, Training Director
A.Scott, Shift Operations Superintendent
- J. Ferdinand, Initial License Training Lead
- J. Bartlett, Training
- M. Graham, Training
- M. Jensen, Training
- M. Kaufman, Training
- D. Snook, Training
- K. Cravens, Nuclear Oversight
- S. Russell, Exelon Corporate Training
- D. Bowman, Facility Representative
- M. Richter, Regulatory Assurance
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- N. Valos, Chief Examiner
- C. Phillips, Examiner
- H. Peterson, Region III Operator Licensing Branch Chief
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED AND DISCUSSED
Opened and Closed
None
Discussed
None
LIST OF ACRONYMS
Agency-Wide Document Access and Management System
Action Request
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
Division of Reactor Safety
DVD
Digital Video Disc
Nuclear Event Report
NRC
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Publicly Available Records System
Quad Cities
Reactor Operator
Senior Reactor Operator
VCR
Videocassette Recorder
SIMULATION FACILITY REPORT
Facility Licensee:
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station
Facility Licensee Docket Nos.
50-254; 50-265
Operating Tests Administered:
May 2 - May 5, 2005
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
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
While performing validation of a spare scenario during the site preparation visit,
the B Reactor Feedwater Pump miniflow recirculation valve would not open in
AUTO (as expected) after the discharge valve for the pump was closed with the
pump running. [Simulator Work Request Number 7809]
WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS AND ANSWER KEYS (RO/SRO)
RO Initial Examination ADAMS Accession No. ML051360233
SRO Initial Examination ADAMS Accession No. ML051360239
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