Master’s in Operation, Maintenance and Life Extension (LTO) Management Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in operation, maintenance and life extension (LTO) management engineering, structured in 12 modules covering nuclear plant management, maintenance programmes, refuelling outages, in-service inspection, ageing fundamentals and management, long-term operation, obsolescence, design modifications, quality and human factors and maintenance digitalisation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Manage plant operations using performance indicators.
Design reliability-based maintenance programmes.
Plan efficient and safe refuelling outages.
Identify the ageing mechanisms of structures and components.
Develop ageing management programmes for long-term operation.
Assess design modifications and obsolescence.
Apply digital tools to nuclear maintenance.
Who it's for
- Nuclear maintenance managers looking to strengthen their command of ageing management and LTO.
- Ageing management engineers.
- Reliability engineers working on critical equipment.
- Refuelling outage coordinators.
- LTO engineers involved in licence renewal.
- In-service inspection managers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the nuclear power sector.
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSG-48 Ageing Management and Development of a Programme for Long Term Operation (IAEA guide on ageing management and LTO)
- 10 CFR Part 54 (US requirements for renewal of operating licences)
- 10 CFR 50.65 (US maintenance rule)
- NUREG-1801 GALL Report (generic ageing lessons learned)
- IAEA SSR-2/2 (IAEA requirements for commissioning and operation)
- ASME BPVC Section XI (in-service inspection of nuclear power plant components)
- ASME OM Code (operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants)
- CSN Instruction IS-22 (Spanish safety requirements for ageing management and long-term operation)
- SAP PM
- IBM Maximo
- Primavera P6
- Bentley AssetWise
- Python
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Organisational model of a nuclear power plant1.2Responsibilities of the licensee1.3Management system according to GSR Part 21.4Strategic planning of operations1.5WANO performance indicators1.6Load factor and availability factor1.7Economic management of the plant1.8Knowledge management and generational handover1.9Comparison with international reference plants1.10Case study: plant management dashboard
2.1Reliability-centred maintenance (RCM)2.2The 10 CFR 50.65 maintenance rule2.3Preventive maintenance and frequencies2.4Condition-based maintenance2.5Predictive techniques: vibration and thermography2.6Oil analysis and ultrasound2.7Work order management2.8On-line maintenance and risk2.9INPO AP-913 equipment reliability programme2.10Workshop: RCM analysis of an essential service water pump
3.1Structure of an outage3.2Critical window and critical path3.3Contractor coordination3.4Shutdown safety and risk management3.5Foreign material exclusion3.6Dose management during refuelling3.7Post-refuelling start-up tests3.8Lessons learned and indicators3.9Optimisation of outage duration3.10Practical exercise: scheduling an outage with Primavera P6
4.1ASME XI: inspection programme4.2Non-destructive testing: ultrasound and eddy currents4.3Inspection of the reactor vessel and nozzles4.4Steam generator tube inspection4.5Valve and pump testing to ASME OM4.6Containment leak testing4.7Risk-informed inspection4.8Qualification of inspections according to ENIQ4.9Management of indications4.10Case study: assessment of an indication in a weld
5.1Degradation mechanisms5.2Irradiation embrittlement of the reactor vessel5.3Fatigue and environmental fatigue5.4Stress corrosion cracking5.5Thermal ageing of cast steels5.6Concrete degradation5.7Cable ageing5.8Wear and flow-accelerated corrosion5.9Active and passive components5.10Laboratory: transition curve of surveillance specimens
6.1IAEA SSG-48 methodology6.2Ageing management programmes6.3The IAEA IGALL report6.4Screening of structures and components6.5Time-limited ageing analyses6.6Reactor vessel surveillance programme6.7Cable management6.8Management of civil structures6.9Programme effectiveness indicators6.10Workshop: review of an ageing management programme
7.1The LTO concept and scope7.2Licence renewal under 10 CFR 547.3Subsequent extension to 80 years7.4Periodic safety review7.5IAEA SALTO missions7.6Spanish framework for renewal of authorisations7.7Cost-benefit analysis of LTO7.8Social and environmental aspects7.9International experience in LTO7.10Case study: LTO plan for a PWR plant
8.1Proactive obsolescence management8.2Qualification of commercial equipment8.3Commercial grade dedication8.4Steam generator replacement8.5Reactor vessel head replacement8.6Turbine modernisation8.7Power uprates8.8Reverse engineering of spare parts8.9Nuclear supplier management8.10Practical exercise: obsolescence strategy for an I&C system
9.1Design modification process9.2Prior evaluation under 10 CFR 50.599.3Design bases and their control9.4Configuration management9.5Documentation and drawings9.6Control of temporary changes in the plant9.7Post-modification testing9.8Staff training on the modification9.9Quality control of the modification9.10Case study: 50.59 analysis of a valve replacement
10.1Quality assurance programme10.2NQA-1 and nuclear requirements10.3Audits and supplier surveillance10.4Human factors in maintenance10.5Error prevention tools10.6Root cause analysis10.7Corrective action programme10.8Internal and external operating experience10.9Safety culture in maintenance10.10Workshop: root cause analysis of an equipment failure
11.1Enterprise asset management (EAM) systems11.2On-line equipment monitoring11.3Predictive analytics and machine learning11.4Component digital twins11.5Inspection with drones and robotics11.6Augmented reality in maintenance11.7Cybersecurity in maintenance systems11.8Electronic document management11.9Return on investment in digitalisation11.10Laboratory: predictive failure model with vibration data
12.1Selection of the system or component12.2Diagnosis of the current situation12.3Identification of ageing mechanisms12.4Proposal for a management programme12.5Economic analysis of LTO12.6Implementation plan12.7Monitoring indicators12.8Conclusions and recommendations to the licensee12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
The programme is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SAP PM, IBM Maximo, Primavera P6, Bentley AssetWise and Python, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: development of ageing management programmes, planning of refuelling outages and reliability analysis of critical equipment. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: IAEA SSG-48 Ageing Management and Development of a Programme for Long Term Operation, 10 CFR Part 54, 10 CFR 50.65, NUREG-1801 GALL Report, IAEA SSR-2/2, ASME BPVC Section XI, ASME OM Code, CSN Instruction IS-22.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with SAP PM, IBM Maximo, Primavera P6, Bentley AssetWise and Python, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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