Faulty control rods at Brunswick nuke plant

A few cracks can make a world of difference:

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy said it had discovered extensive cracking and "material distortion," and likely would recommend that the boiling water reactors using its Marathon control rod blades replace them more frequently than they had been told to previously.

"The design life if not revised, could result in significant control blade cracking and could, if not corrected, create a substantial safety hazard and is considered a reportable condition," the company said in its report to the NRC.

And yes, they're kind of important. That "material distortion" can inhibit full insertion, which is, you know, not good. But when I saw this:

Recently, GEH submitted a licensing topical report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the next offering in the Marathon Ultra product line, the Marathon Ultra HD (high duty), which will offer a longer lifetime for higher-duty applications.

I began to wonder if this warning was actually the first phase of a marketing campaign, as opposed to a safety advisory...