JAPEIC's activity on aging issue related to neutron irradiation of RPV/RV materials

In Japan, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is respon sible for the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants. MITI formed a committee to develop a policy and action plan to develop advanced or new t echnology for aging nuclear power plants. MITI assigned the Japan Power Eng ineering and Inspection Corporation (JAPEIC) to manage the project on Plant Life Management Technology (PLIM), in accordance with the committee's repo rt. The PLIM Project includes addressing the issue of irradiation embrittle ment of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels, the issue of thermal aging of main coolant piping, and technology for the reconstitution of tested surve illance capsule specimens. This paper presents the planning and status of two of the ongoing projects, namely irradiation embrittlement of RPV steels and the development of tech nology for reconstitution of surveillance capsule specimens. (C) 2000 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.