IR 05000413/2014301

Er 05000413-14-301, 05000414-14-301, Operating Test May 19 - 22, 2014 & Written Exam May 29, 2014; Catawba Nuclear Station; Operator License Examinations

ML14174A724
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	06/17/2014
From:	Widmann M Division of Reactor Safety II
To:	Henderson K Duke Energy Corp
References
ER-14-301
Download: ML14174A724 (9)

Text

June 17, 2014

SUBJECT:

CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION - NRC OPERATOR LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000413/2014301 AND 05000414/2014301

Dear Mr. Henderson:

During the period May 19 - 22, 2014, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operating tests to employees of your company who had applied for licenses to operate the Catawba Nuclear Plant. At the conclusion of the tests, the examiners discussed preliminary findings related to the operating tests and the written examination submittal with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report. The written examination was administered by your staff on May 29, 2014.

Six Reactor Operator (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination. There were no post-examination comments. A Simulator Fidelity Report is included in this report as Enclosure 2.

The initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination. All examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and your staff were made according to NUREG-1021, Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors, Revision 9, Supplement 1.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice, a copy of this letter and its enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of the NRCs document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact me at (404) 997-4550.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief Operations Branch 1

Division of Reactor Safety

Docket Nos: 50-413, 50-414 License Nos: NPF-35, NPF-52

Enclosures:

1. Report Details 2. Simulator Fidelity Report

REGION II==

Docket No.:

50-413, 50-414

License No.:

NPF-35, NPF-52

Report No.:

05000413/2014301, 05000414/2014301

Licensee:

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

Facility:

Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 & 2

Location:

York, SC 29745

Dates:

Operating Test - May 19 - 22, 2014

Written Examination - May 29, 2014

Examiners:

Mark Bates, Chief Examiner, Senior Operations Engineer Gary Callaway, Chief Examiner (Under Instruction), Senior Reactor Technology Instructor

Phillip Capehart, Senior Operations Engineer

Approved by:

Malcolm T. Widmann, Chief

Operations Branch 1

Division of Reactor Safety

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

ER 05000413/2014301, 05000414/2014301, Operating Test May 19 - 22, 2014 & Written Exam May 29, 2014; Catawba Nuclear Station; Operator License Examinations.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners conducted an initial examination in accordance with the guidelines in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." This examination implemented the operator licensing requirements identified in 10 CFR §55.41, §55.43, and §55.45, as applicable.

Members of the Catawba Nuclear Station staff developed both the operating tests and the written examination.

The NRC administered the operating tests during the period May 19 - 22, 2014. Members of the Catawba Nuclear Station training staff administered the written examination on May 29, 2014. Six Reactor Operators (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants passed both the operating test and written examination.

There were no post-examination comments.

No findings were identified.

REPORT DETAILS

4.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

4OA5 Operator Licensing Examinations

a.

Inspection Scope

Members of the Catawba Nuclear Station staff developed both the operating tests and the written examination. All examination material was developed in accordance with the guidelines contained in Revision 9, Supplement 1, of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors." The NRC examination team reviewed the proposed examination. Examination changes agreed upon between the NRC and the licensee were made per NUREG-1021 and incorporated into the final version of the examination materials.

The NRC reviewed the licensees examination security measures while preparing and administering the examinations in order to ensure compliance with 10 CFR §55.49, Integrity of examinations and tests.

The NRC examiners evaluated six Reactor Operator (RO) and three Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) applicants using the guidelines contained in NUREG-1021. The examiners administered the operating tests during the period May 19 - 22, 2014.

Members of the Catawba Nuclear Station training staff administered the written examination on May 29, 2014. Evaluations of applicants and reviews of associated documentation were performed to determine if the applicants, who applied for licenses to operate the Catawba Nuclear Station, met the requirements specified in 10 CFR Part 55, Operators Licenses.

b.

Findings

No findings were identified. The NRC determined, using NUREG-1021, that the licensees initial examination submittal was within the range of acceptability expected for a proposed examination.

Six RO applicants and three SRO applicants passed both the operating test and written examination.

Copies of all individual examination reports were sent to the facility Training Manager for evaluation of weaknesses and determination of appropriate remedial training.

The licensee did not submit any post-examination comments. A copy of the final written examination and answer key, with all changes incorporated, may be accessed not

earlier than June 10, 2016, in the ADAMS system (ADAMS Accession Numbers ML14167A049 and ML14160B120).

4OA6 Meetings, Including Exit

Exit Meeting Summary

On May 22, 2014, the NRC examination team discussed generic issues associated with the operating test with K. Henderson, Site Vice President and members of the Catawba Nuclear Station staff. The examiners asked the licensee if any of the examination material was proprietary. No proprietary information was identified.

KEY POINTS OF CONTACT

Licensee personnel

K. Henderson, Site Vice President T. Simril, Plant Manager D. Barker, Operations Manager P. Simbrat; Manager, Regulatory Affairs H. Jarman, Assistant Operations Manager, Shift B. Leonard, Training Manager E. Madsen, Operations Training Supervisor D. Hensley, Lead Exam Writer G. Wood, Simulator Engineer C. Miller, Exam Team Representative S. Tripi, Initial Licensing Training Supervisor T. Golden, Initial License Training Lead Instructor

Enclosure 2 SIMULATOR FIDELITY REPORT

Facility Licensee: Catawba Nuclear Station

Facility Docket No.: 50-413, 50-414

Operating Test Administered: May 19 - 22, 2014

This form is to be used only to report observations. These observations do not constitute audit or inspection findings and, without further verification and review in accordance with Inspection Procedure 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 test, examiners observed the following:

Item Description

Unanticipated reactor makeup water flow during simulator exam.

Following a planned boration, the crew began the process of flushing the makeup line. As soon as the required valves were opened, and before a reactor makeup water pump was started, the operators observed an instantaneous indication of a total of 20 gallons of reactor makeup water through the associated flow element. Problem Identification C-14-05388 was written to document this issue.