IR 05000237/2011301

Er 05000237-11-301 & 05000249-11-301 on 03/07/2011 03/21/2011, Exelon Generation Company

ML11112A125
Person / Time
Site:	Dresden
Issue date:	04/20/2011
From:	Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III
To:	Pacilio M Exelon Generation Co, Exelon Nuclear
References
50-239/11-301, 50-249/11-301
Download: ML11112A125 (10)

Text

April 20, 2011

SUBJECT:

DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3 NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000237/2011301(DRS);

05000249/2011301(DRS)

Dear Mr. Pacilio:

On March 21, 2011, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed the initial operator licensing examination process for license applicants employed at your Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3. The enclosed report documents the results of those examinations. Preliminary observations noted during the examination process were discussed on March 16, 2011, with Mr. T. Hanley, Site Vice President, and other members of your staff.

An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on March 29, 2011, between Ms. L. Jordan, Training Director, of your staff and Mr. M. Bielby, Chief Operator Licensing Examiner, to review the proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. The NRC confirmed the station submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration during NRC grading of the examination The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the weeks of March 7 and 14, 2011. The written examination was administered by Dresden training department personnel on March 18, 2011. Eight Senior Reactor Operator and three Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. The results of the examinations were finalized on April 7, 2011. All eleven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Eight applicants were issued Senior Operator licenses and three were issued Operator Licenses. Although this report refers to a document tracking number for the written examination, the written examination and other related written examination documentation are being withheld from public disclosure for 24 months. For examination security purposes, your staff should consider that written examination uncontrolled and exposed to the public.

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 Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

Sincerely,

/RA/

Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Docket No. 50-237; 50-249 License No. DPR-19; DPR-25

Enclosures:

1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000237/2011301(DRS);

05000249/2011301(DRS)

w/Attachment: Supplemental Information

2. Simulation Facility Report

REGION III==

Docket No:

50-237; 50-249 License No:

DPR-19; DPR-25

Report No:

05000237/2011301(DRS); 05000249/2011301(DRS)

Licensee:

Exelon Generation Company, LLC Facility:

Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3 Location:

Morris, Illinois Dates:

March 7 - 21, 2011 Inspectors:

M. Bielby, Senior Operations Engineer

C. Moore, Operations Engineer

C. Zoia, Operations Engineer Approved by:

Hironori, Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety

Enclosure 1

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000237/2011301(DRS); 05000249/2011301(DRS); 03/07/2011 - 03/21/2011;

Exelon Generation Company, LLC, Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Units 2 and 3.

Initial License Examination Report.

The announced initial operator licensing examination was conducted by regional Nuclear Regulatory Commission examiners in accordance with the guidance of NUREG-1021, AOperator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,@ Revision 9.

Examination Summary:

Eleven of eleven applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations. Eight applicants were issued Senior Operator licenses and three applicants were issued Operator licenses. (Section 4OA5.1).

REPORT DETAILS

4OA5 Other

.1 Initial Licensing Examinations

a. Examination Scope

The NRC examiners and members of the facility licensees staff used the guidance prescribed in NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1, to develop, validate, administer, and grade the written examination and operating test. Members of the facility licensees staff prepared the outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of February 14, 2011, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff. During the on-site validation week, the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners, with the assistance of members of the facility licensees staff, administered the operating test, consisting of job performance measures and dynamic simulator scenarios, during the period of March 7 through March 15, 2011. The facility licensee administered the written examination on March 18, 2011.

b. Findings

(1) Written Examination The NRC examiners determined that the written examination, as submitted by the licensee, was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

Less than 20 percent of the proposed examination questions were determined to be unsatisfactory and required modification or replacement. Although the overall examination technically met acceptability requirements, a significant number of questions still required enhancements to meet minimum levels of discrimination and difficulty.

All changes made to the submitted examination, were made in accordance with NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, and documented on Form ES-401-9, Written Examination Review Worksheet (ADAMS Accession Number ML11104A069), which will be available April 7, 2013, electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS).

On March 21, 2011, the licensee submitted documentation noting that there were no post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners when grading the written examination. The final as administered examination and answer key (ADAMS Accession Number ML11103A132) will be available on April 7, 2013, electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS).

The NRC examiners graded the written examination on April 1, 2011, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.

(2) 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.

However, several of the submitted administrative JPMs were determined not to be discriminating because they merely required applicants to fill in a data form and perform simple math using a calculator. They did not require assessment of the data, identification of a problem, performance of corrective action or incorporation of significant consequences. One of the submitted alternate path JPMs was not considered alternate path because it did not require the applicant to utilize procedural steps or take corrective actions outside of the normal procedural steps the applicant was required to take. Changes made to the operating test, documented in a document titled, AOperating Test Comments,@ as well as the final as administered dynamic simulator scenarios and JPMs, are available electronically (ADAMS Accession Number ML11104A072) in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS).

The NRC examiners completed operating test grading on April 7, 2011.

(3) Examination Results Eight applicants at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level and three applicants at the Reactor Operator (RO) level were administered written examinations and operating tests. Eleven applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued their respective operating licenses.

.2 Examination Security

a. Scope

The NRC examiners reviewed and observed the licensee's implementation of examination security requirements during the examination validation and administration to assure compliance with 10 CFR 55.49, AIntegrity of Examinations and Tests.@ The examiners used the guidelines provided in NUREG 1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,@ to determine acceptability of the licensee=s examination security activities.

b. Findings

The chief examiner was notified of a potential simulator examination security issue which was determined not to have compromised the examination. The event occurred very early in the examination development process and involved an on-shift Equipment Operator (EO) performing a Posted Operator Aides surveillance and passing through a posted examination barrier. During examination material development by a contractor, the simulator was key locked and posted in accordance with TQ-DR-201-0113, Dresden Training Department Simulator Examination Security Actions. The contractor had left the simulator for personal business. Subsequently, the EO approached the main door and read the posted entry sign, ILT-NRC EXAMINATION AREA RESTRICTED ACCESS CALL 2103. The EO called the posted extension number 2103 and received no answer. The EO then used his assigned key to unlock the entry door and enter the simulator to perform his surveillance. Immediately after the EO entered the simulator and prior to viewing any portion of the examination material, the contractor returned and challenged the EO about what he was doing in the simulator. The contractor secured the EO and notified the licensee Exam Author. The EO was briefed by the Exam Author and signed onto the examination security agreement. In addition, a caution warning of posted examination security, was place in station procedures that require individuals to enter the training building and electronic combination door locks were installed on all simulator doors.

The event was entered into the facility licensees corrective action program and actions were initiated to prevent recurrence. Because no examination material was exposed to unauthorized personnel, no compromise or violation of examination security occurred.

However, all examination security issues are required to be documented.

4OA6 Meetings

.1 Debrief

The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on March 16, 2011, to Mr. T. Hanley, Site Vice President and other members of the Dresden Operations and Training Department staff.

.2 Exit Meeting

The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on March 29, 2011, with Ms. L. Jordan, Training Director, by telephone. The NRC=s final disposition of the station=s post-examination comments were disclosed and discussed with Ms. Jordan during the telephone discussion. The examiners asked the licensee whether any of the material used to develop or administer the examination should be considered proprietary. No proprietary or sensitive information was identified during the examination or debrief/exit meetings.

ATTACHMENT:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee

T. Hanley, Site Vice President

F. Ferrero, ILT Examination Coordinator

D. Gronek, Operations Director

G. Ice, NRC Coordinator

D. Leggett, Regulator Assurance Manager

M. Otten, Operations Training Manager

M. Schimanski, ILT Training Instructor

P. Wojtkiewics, Shift Manager

M. Kusic, Nuclear Operations Supervisor

NRC

M. Bielby, Chief Examiner

C. Moore, Examiner

C. Zoia, Examiner

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened, Closed, and Discussed

None