In Germany the term ageing management comprises several aspects. A demand f
ar a special "ageing monitoring" programme is not explicitly contained in t
he regulations. However; from the Atomic Energy Act and its regulations res
ults the operator's obligation to perform extensive measures to maintain th
e quality of the plant and the operating personnel working in the plant. Fr
om this point of view, comprehensive ageing management in German nuclear po
wer plants has been taken place right from the start under the generic term
of quality assurance.