Plant life extension from the supplier's viewpoint

Extending the operation of nuclear power plants beyond their planned and licensed operating life is a sensible way of covering future energy demand. The viability of such a measure from the economic viewpoint i.e., the cost advantages as compared to other options, to a considerable extent depends on the condition of the plant and any upgrading or component replacements required to guarantee continued plant reliability and safety. Important issues from the supplier's viewpoint are technical aspects of the evaluation of plant condition and trend analysis, practical possibilities for reducing the loads, and load combinations that promote aging as well as measures for plant upgrading and for component replacement