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

[Sirveri]

9. basically if one tube leaks the leakage goes to a drainage spigot

Then you see that you have a problem, and start trying to figure out what's going on in the plant. Then you plug the failed tubes on the side that failed. Though in this case that's a pretty severe efficiency drop, so it's better to just shut down and rework. As far as I know the alloys are the same but it's possible that manufacturing techniques have advanced and they're using differing metals. Though that likely would add a cost they don't want to spend.

It could still be a manufacturing defect, especially if they got a bad batch of metal from their supplier. There will be hell to pay if that's the case.