Corrosion experience in U.S.light water reactor nuclear power plants is reviewed with emphasis on mitigation strategies based on water chemistry changes.While many components have suffered corrosion problems, the most costly issues to date have been stress corrosion cracking of stainless steel piping in boiling water reactors and corrosion damage to steam generator tubes in pressurized water reactors.Through industrywide R&D programs, these early-developing problems are now understood, and cost-effective countermeasures have been developed and deployed.Corrosion-related problems of current concern are briefly reviewed for both reactor types, and opportunities for chemistry-based mitigation methods are identified.It is concluded that, while tremendous progress has been made in controlling corrosion, minimizing its impact on plant operations will present a continuing challenge throughout the remaining service lives of the current fleet of U.S.nuclear power plants.
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