Lifetime management in ASCO and Vandellos II NNPP's

The aim of ageing management activities in NPPs that are relatively young, such as Asco and Vandellos II NPPs is to implement a surveillance methodology to determine the status of all plant components. The mentioned methodology allows plant staff to adopt the most suitable actions to maintain the plant in optimal operating conditions, as well as to keep open the options for long term operation. The article describes the actions on going and finalised undertaken for the plants with the objective to obtain an exhaustive knowledge about plant ageing and, consequently, improve plant operation. Improvement is obtained by the optimization of decision taken process, doing the correct actions at the right moment. The different activities include in addition to Ageing Management Plans the Maintenance Rule application, the environmental qualification and dedication programmes, risk informed inspection and testing as well as accomplishment of different WOG recommendations and specific actions, like the ones to prevent equipment obsolescence. (Author)