Mexico Builds Nuclear Expertise to Keep Laguna Verde Running Safely for Longer

The IAEA puts the average age of nuclear power reactors at about 32 years, with 28 countries pursuing long-term operation and more than 180 reactors already operating under such arrangements.

Keeping a nuclear power plant running safely for decades means understanding how its equipment changes with age and giving staff the knowledge to manage those changes before they affect operations. At Laguna Verde, Mexico's only nuclear power plant, 30 national nuclear professionals attended an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) training course from 18 to 21 August, supported by the agency's technical cooperation programme. The course focused on the plant's specific needs and strengthened Mexico's expertise in ageing management and long-term operation, with practical lessons participants could bring into their daily work.

What It Takes to Keep an Ageing Nuclear Plant Reliable

The IAEA puts the average age of nuclear power reactors at about 32 years, with 28 countries pursuing long-term operation and more than 180 reactors already operating under such arrangements. Long-term operation means running a plant beyond the period originally anticipated in its design, which requires careful attention to ageing-related challenges and equipment performance. Effective plant life management helps support safe, reliable electricity generation over these longer periods, contributing to energy security and decarbonization goals through sustained attention to the condition of the plant.

Plant life management brings ageing management and economic planning together so that decisions about maintenance, investment and equipment condition support high safety standards and reliable performance. Participants at Laguna Verde studied IAEA Safety Standards and technical guidance, examining the connections between ageing management, equipment reliability, maintenance optimization and plant modernization. Their discussions covered maintenance priorities, periodic safety reviews and knowledge management, along with international experience in long-term operation and subsequent licence renewal, giving them a broader understanding of the work involved in preparing a plant for continued service.

Turning International Experience Into Practical Work at Laguna Verde

The Mexico course built on an IAEA pilot held in the Republic of Korea in July 2025, incorporating feedback from that training and concentrating on subjects most relevant to Laguna Verde. Participants applied what they learned to identify ageing effects and the mechanisms that cause plant components to deteriorate, then considered suitable ways to monitor and reduce those effects. The skills gained are expected to support the plant's continuing work to implement and improve its ageing management and long-term operation programmes, connecting classroom learning with the equipment and responsibilities staff encounter on site.

Jorge García García, an engineer specializing in programme and component engineering at Laguna Verde, described the course as a valuable opportunity to share knowledge and discuss issues important to the plant, with strong participation creating a foundation for continued collaboration. Garry Gean Young, Technical Executive at the Electric Power Research Institute and an IAEA training facilitator, highlighted the exchange between international experts presenting recent practices, research and lessons from long-term operation programmes and Laguna Verde staff contributing operational experience. That exchange helped make the training interactive and grounded in practical concerns.

Building Expertise That Countries Can Share

The course formed part of the IAEA Modular Training Programme on Nuclear Power Plant Life Management for Long-Term Operation, which helps member countries develop the knowledge and capacity needed to put effective programmes into practice. Its subjects include ageing management, plant life management methods, repair and replacement, innovation and operating experience, with a flexible format that accommodates national needs and individual plants. IAEA Programme Management Officer Scarlett Ihlau said participant feedback reflected its practical, comprehensive and adaptable approach, emphasizing the value of technical cooperation in strengthening Mexico's expertise and access to international good practices.

The IAEA's wider work connects countries with experience beyond their own nuclear sectors, creating opportunities to exchange approaches to plant life management and continued safe operation. The Sixth International Conference on Nuclear Power Plant Life Management, known as PLiM6, is scheduled for 7–11 December 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, bringing together regulators, operators, technical experts and other stakeholders. Discussions will cover current approaches and developments in managing nuclear plants over their operating lifetimes, extending the knowledge-sharing approach that shaped the training at Laguna Verde.