The continued operation of nuclear power plants beyond the age of 40 years

Most of the 900 MW reactors of the French fleet of PWR arrive to their fourth ten-yearly safety review. It means that the issue of the extension beyond 40 years of the operating life of these reactors has to be on the agenda. The French nuclear safety authority (ASN) requires from the operator a complete mastering of the ageing of the facility and an upgrading of the nuclear safety up to the standard of the most recent reactors. In this series of short articles, various aspects of the extension of the operating life of French nuclear plants are examined: the decision-making process, technical challenges, nuclear safety, and the management of plant ageing. 2 articles are dedicated to the differences between NRC and ASN approaches of lifetime extension. (A.C.)