Worn Pipes Shut California Reactors ( the pipes are relatively NEW!)

[Sirveri]

4. It's probably the fault of the water chem folks.

That's really the only way to get a U-tube piping failure that quickly other than as a material defect.

Screw up the pH balance in the water and those tubes basically dissolve in a matter of weeks. Other than that a manufacturing fault, or damage during installation could have done it too. But a primary side leak is more difficult since these tubes are double walled and the primary flows on the inside of the pipes as opposed to the steam generator feed water which is on the outside.