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Generic guidelines provide guidance on data collection, methodologies, establishment and implementation of systematic ageing management programmes, equipment qualification and how to assess the effectiveness of ageing management programmes. Existing programmes to manage the ageing of systems, structures and components, and which are recommended, should be coordinated within a comprehensive ageing management programme. They are presented in Refs [9, 24, 32–35]. The ageing management programme may be supported with the implementation of advanced maintenance concepts and tools, such as the 36 ‘performance based’ and ‘risk informed based’ techniques.

2. Establishment of the plant life management programme In order to operate a nuclear power plant safely and economically both during its design lifetime and beyond, it is important to assess the existing condition of the systems, structures and components in order to evaluate their remaining lifetime and to establish a corresponding ageing management programme. 29 Phase 2 of plant life management generally includes the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) Screening of critical systems, structures and components and their classification; Identification of ageing mechanisms; Detailed lifetime evaluation of the critical systems, structures and components; Establishment of an appropriate ageing management programme.

There are no licence renewal procedures such as those used in the USA and there are no prescribed limits to the duration of the plants’ operating lifetimes. Beginning with the commissioning of the plant, the French operating organization has to prepare a periodic safety review at the first 10 year outage. This periodic safety review is valid for the following 10 years, after which another is conducted. The French operating organization uses periodic safety reviews for plant life management, with the following key elements and major directions: (a) (b) (c) (d) Good design and manufacture, including replacement parts and repairs; State of science and technology practices, with an updated construction code and standard or detailed specifications; Use of all available experience and knowledge; Taking into account maintenance and surveillance activities.