Jellyfish force shutdown of 3 reactors at French nuclear power plant
A nuclear plant in northern France shut down three reactors after a swarm of jellyfish clogged pumps used to cool the units, energy group EDF said on Tuesday. Three reactors were taken offline on Monday and output at a fourth was cut by half, EDF said in a statement, leaving just one operating at full capacity. A sixth reactor was already offline for scheduled maintenance. “This situation has no…
A nuclear power plant in northern France experienced a shutdown of three reactors after a jellyfish swarm blocked the pumps responsible for cooling the reactors, according to energy company EDF. The incident occurred on Monday, with one reactor's output reduced by half. As a result, only one reactor was operating at full capacity. Another reactor had already been offline for scheduled maintenance. EDF reassured the public that the situation did not compromise the safety of the facility, staff, or the environment.
France has faced challenges to its nuclear power production due to multiple heatwaves and droughts this year. EDF had previously shut down several reactors in June and July because of extreme heat. Just prior to the latest closures, France experienced a 15.6% decrease in nuclear power production, based on EDF data collected since 2015, published by Agence France-Presse.
Situated near the northern city of Dunkirk, the Gravelines nuclear power plant is the largest in western Europe, housing six 900-megawatt reactors. The plant was previously taken offline a year ago following another jellyfish-related incident that blocked its seawater pumping stations. Experts attribute jellyfish swarms to overfishing, plastic pollution, and warming seas resulting from climate change, which have created ideal conditions for their growth and reproduction.
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