Optimisation of Maintenance Programs in View of long Term Operation of Nuclear Power Plants

Many Countries and plants radically modified their maintenance rules towards a condition based approach as a precondition for the implementation of life extension (LTO/PLEX) programs. In 2004 a network of European Organisations operating Nuclear Power Plants, SENUF (Safety of European Nuclear Facilities), under the coordination of the JRC-IE, carried out an extensive questionnaire on maintenance practice in their facilities aiming at capturing the aspects of the maintenance programs where research is mostly needed. This paper uses some results of the questionnaire, which was not oriented to LTO/PLEX, to draw some conclusions on how the current maintenance programs could support a potential LTO/PLEX, among the other programs running at nuclear power plants (NPPs). In this sense, it is spin-off of the SENUF working group on maintenance. The paper aims at identifying the technical attributes of the maintenance programs more directly affecting the decision for a long-term safe operation of a nuclear facility, the issues related to their implementation and safety review. The paper includes a discussion on the implications of optimised maintenance programs in existing plants. Some examples at VVER plants taken by sources other than SENUF complete the overview, with some proposals for solution of practical implementation problems.

BIETH Michel;  RIEG Claude; 

CONTRI Paolo; 

2007-02-26

ENS (Croatian Nuclear Society)

JRC33647