The main mission of the Working Group on Integrity and Ageing of Components and Structures (WGIAGE) is to advance the current understanding of the relevant aspects related with ensuring the integrity of components, systems and structures (SSC), and to propose general principles on the optimal ways of dealing with respective challenges facing operating and new nuclear power plants as well as other nuclear facilities, and to make use of an integrated approach to design safety and plant life management.

The Working Group reports to the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) and assists that Committee with its work. With prior approval of CSNI, the Working Group collaborates with or responds to requests from the CSNI Programme Review Group (PRG) and Working Groups and other NEA bodies or other international organisations.

The Working Group co-ordinates its work with other working groups, notably with the Working Group on External Events (WGEV) and the Working Group on Risk Assessment (WGRISK) on safety evaluation of seismic hazards and with the Working Group on Electrical Power Systems (WGELEC) on the long-term safety of electrical and Instrumentation and Control (I&C) components.

The Working Group also meets in three ad-hoc subgroups dealing with a) integrity and ageing of metal structures and components, b) integrity and ageing of concrete structures and c) seismic engineering.

Specifically, the Working Group:

1. Constitutes a forum to exchange views, information and experience on generic technical aspects of integrity and ageing of components and structures, and review, as necessary, national and international programmes concentrating on research, operational aspects and regulation.
2. Stimulates, in relevant technical areas, new research and recommend possible international co-operative projects.
3. Develops technical positions on specific integrity issues of operating and new nuclear power plants covering the entire life cycle; and identifies areas where further work is needed.
4. Discusses the potential impact of ageing and other challenges to integrity of SSC on the safety, regulation, and operability of operating and new nuclear power plants as well as of other nuclear facilities.