• In cooperation with CANDU utilities, developed a comprehensive CANDU plant life management programme, including strategy, processes, and procedures.

• Completed many ageing assessments of CSSCs and assisting CANDU utilities with implementation, including training.

• The CANDU PLiM methodology has been successfully applied to the life extension project planning for the CANDU 6 plants at the Centre Nucleaire Gentilly 2 in Quebec, and for the Point Lepreau Generating Station in New Brunswick.

• Encourageing younger CANDU plants to start PLiM early in life (such as at Cernavoda Unit 1 and Qinshan Units 1 & 2)

• Maintaining Technology Watch (emerging issues) and operational experience feedback databases

• In addition to COG-funded programmes, performing additional R&D programmes in various areas important to CANDU PLiM.

• Continuing to evolve a highly integrated and comprehensive approach to various PLiM activities, with supporting processes and databases. The methodology foresees the application of PLiM to all stages of the plant life (from design to extended service operation).

• Applying PLiM technology and processes to its own nuclear facilities, such as to the life extension of the NRU research reactor.

• Experience from PLiM programmes on operational reactors is fed back into the new CANDU products. The PLiM technology and knowledge is being converted into enhancements of new reactor designs (such as ACR). For instance, AECL’s PLiM group has been assisting the ACR design team perform detailed maintenance assessments during the design phase.

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)

The CNSC activities as related specifically to PLiM are in the main text of this TECDOC. Conclusions

In Canada, plant life management continues to receive considerable attention. Efforts are underway to maximize the technical and economic benefits from PLiM work and the benefits derived from the detailed understanding of ageing behaviour at the plants. There are on-going improvements to the technical assessments of SSC ageing and the processes used to perform these assessments. There are also improvements in the linkage to current operational performance and to the plant programmes (that are the primary means to manage ageing), to the business planning/asset management and to the supporting R&D programme. AECL is assisting CANDU owner/operators with their PLiM programmes; using PLiM on its own research reactor; and applying the experience gained to new CANDU reactor designs. Canadian CANDU owner/operators are all taking active steps to assess and understand the ageing of their plants. Prognosis for extended service operation is very positive.