An approach to aspects of aging and safety of nuclear power plants by a German expert organization

In general German nuclear power plants are designed for a working lifetime of forty years. Yet the license is not directly connected to this time frame. The safety-related installations, components and systems constantly have to prove that they meet all requirements of the license. Beginning with the definition of the design criteria, the materials and components the durability is pre-determined. During the repeated test procedures and maintenance work data are collected and documented. Inspections provide additional information. The evaluation of this data basis provides an important contribution to determine the status or predict the expected lifetime of safety installations and help to assess and arrange repairs or refurbishments and justify decisions. Some examples outline the concept