Extreme weather and jellyfish knock one-fifth of France's nuclear capacity offline
France on Wednesday recorded a more than 20 percent shortfall in nuclear power production capacity, a record deficit caused by environmentally related outages linked to drought, extreme heat and a jellyfish invasion.
France experienced a record shortfall of 20.4% in nuclear power production capacity during a day on Wednesday, with extreme weather conditions and a jellyfish invasion primarily responsible for the disruption. The country relies heavily on nuclear power, which generates around 70% of its electricity. Energy group EDF reported that 13 out of 57 of its nuclear reactors were affected, with eight reactors completely shut down and five operating at reduced power.
The majority of the outages were caused by jellyfish clogging pumps used for cooling at the Gravelines nuclear power plant, while others were attributed to extreme heat and drought, which restricted water availability for cooling purposes. France's nuclear power plants, which are open-loop systems, often shut down or reduce power during heatwaves due to environmental regulations aimed at protecting local flora, fauna, and waterways.
The current drought, with 70% of the country under water restrictions, has exacerbated the situation. Environmental causes, such as overfishing, plastic pollution, and warming seas due to climate change, have created conditions that allow jellyfish to thrive and reproduce, leading to further disruptions in nuclear power production.
Written by urgent.news from The Local France's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
