IR 05000331/2007301
| ML080380321 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Duane Arnold  |
| Issue date: | 01/31/2008 |
| From: | Hironori Peterson Operations Branch III |
| To: | Richard Anderson Duane Arnold |
| References | |
| ER-07-301 | |
| Download: ML080380321 (11) | |
Text
ary 31, 2008
SUBJECT:
DUANE ARNOLD ENERGY CENTER NRC INITIAL LICENSE EXAMINATION REPORT 05000331/2007301(DRS)
Dear Mr. Anderson:
On December 14, 2007, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examiners completed initial operator licensing examinations at your Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC). The enclosed report documents the results of the examination. An initial de-brief of the examination was presented on December 14, 2007, to you and other members of your staff. An exit meeting was conducted by telephone on December 19, 2007, between Mr. E. Murray, DAEC Operations Training Supervisor, Initial License Training, of your staff and Mr. D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer, to review the NRC's proposed final grading of the written examination for the license applicants. There were no post-examination comments provided by the Training Department.
The NRC examiners administered an initial license examination operating test during the week of December 10, 2007. The written examination was administered by DAEC Training Department personnel on December 17, 2007. Seven Senior Reactor Operator applicants were administered license examinations. Two of the Senior Reactor Operator applicants were previously licensed Reactor Operators at DAEC. The results of the examination were finalized on January 18, 2008. Six applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and were issued applicable operator licenses. One applicant failed the operating test (Dynamic Simulator Scenario) portion of the examination and was issued a proposed license denial.
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). We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning this examination.
Sincerely,
/RA by N. Valos Acting for/
Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety
Docket No. 50-331 License No. DPR-49
Enclosures:
1. Operator Licensing Examination Report 05000331/2007301(DRS)
w/Attachment: Supplemental Information 2. Simulation Facility Report 3. Written Examinations and Answer Keys (RO/SRO)
REGION III==
Docket No: 50-331 License No: DPR-49 Report No: 05000331/2007301(DRS)
Licensee: FPL Energy Duane Arnold, LLC
Facility: Duane Arnold Energy Center
Location: Palo, Iowa
Dates: December 10, 2007, through December 14, 2007
Examiners: D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer R. Walton, Operations Engineer C. Moore, Operations Engineer
Approved by: Hironori Peterson, Chief Operations Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enclosure 1 1
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
ER 05000331/2007301(DRS); 12/10/2007 - 12/14/2007; FPL Energy Duane Arnold, LLC,
Duane Arnold Energy Center. 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
$ One applicant (1 Senior Reactor Operator) failed the operating test (Dynamic Simulator Scenario) portion of the examination and was issued a proposed license denial. Six applicants passed all sections of their respective examinations and were issued applicable operator licenses. (Section 4OA5.1).
2
REPORT DETAILS
OTHER ACTIVITIES (OA)
4OA5 Other
.1 Initial Licensing Examinations
a. Examination Scope
Members of the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC) Training Department prepared the examination outline and developed the written examination and operating test. The NRC examiners validated the proposed examination during the week of November 26, 2007, at the DAEC Training Building with the assistance of members of the licensee training staff. During the on-site validation week the examiners audited two license applications for accuracy. The NRC examiners conducted the operating portion of the initial license examination during the week of December 10, 2007. Members of the DAEC training department staff administered the written examination on December 17, 2007. The station=s examination developers and the NRC examiners used the guidance established in NUREG-1021, AOperator Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors,@ Revision 9, to prepare, validate, revise, administer, and grade the examination.
b. Findings
Written Examination During the validation of the written examination several questions were modified or replaced as requested by the NRC examiners. Changes made to the written examination were documented on Form ES-401-9, AWritten Examination Review Worksheet,@ which is available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). Less than 20 percent of the examination was considered unsatisfactory for examination use and therefore, met the NRC
=s expectations for a submitted examination. The licensee did not submit any post-examination comments for consideration by the NRC examiners. The NRC examiners completed the final grading of the written examination on December 20, 2007, and conducted a review of each missed question to determine the accuracy and validity of the examination questions.
Operating Test
During the validation of the operating test, minor changes to the operating test were made to the JPMs and to the dynamic simulator scenarios. Less than 20 percent of the operating test was considered unsatisfactory for use and therefore, met the NRC
=s expectations for a submitted examination. Changes made to the operating test were documented in a document titled, AOperating Test Comments,@ which is available electronically 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 January 18, 2008.
3Examination Results Seven applicants were administered written and operating tests at the Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) level. Two of the SRO applicants were previously licensed as ROs at DAEC. Six applicants passed all portions of their examinations and were issued Senior Reactor Operator licenses. One applicant failed the Operating Test and was issued a proposed license denial. The applicant failed the Dynamic Simulator Scenario portion of the operating test.
.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
No findings of significance were observed in the area of examination security.
4OA6 Meetings
Debrief The chief examiner presented the examination team's preliminary observations and findings on December 14, 2007, to Mr. R. Anderson and other members of the DAEC staff. 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 meetings.
Exit Meeting The chief examiner conducted an exit meeting on December 18, 2007, with Mr. E. Murray, DAEC Initial License Training (ILT) Supervisor, by telephone. The NRC
=s proposed disposition for the final grading of the written examination was discussed. Training Department personnel declined to provide post examination comments.
ATTACHMENT:
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
Licensee
- R. Anderson, Site Vice President
- J. Bjorseth, Site Director
- D. Curtland, Plant General Manager
- C. Dieckman, Operations Manager
- E. Harrison, Shift Manager/ILT Mentor
- J. Morris, Training Manger
- K. Steimer, Assistant Operations Manager
NRC
- D. McNeil, Senior Operations Engineer
- K. Walton, Operations Engineer
- C. Moore, Operations Engineer
ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED
Opened, Closed, and Discussed
None