Four nuclear power plant units in Gravelines were halted due to the presence of jellyfish.
Jellyfish Disrupt Operations at France's Gravelines Power Plant
In an unusual turn of events, four units at the Gravelines nuclear power plant in France were temporarily shut down on August 11, 2022. The cause? A massive influx of jellyfish in the water pumping stations used to cool the reactors.
This incident marks the first time in 2022 that a nuclear power plant in France has had to shut down due to the presence of jellyfish. The Gravelines power plant, one of Europe's largest, has procedures in place to handle such situations, according to the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR).
The incident did not affect the cooling of the equipment ensuring the safety of the reactors. However, units 2, 3, 4, and 6 were automatically shut down between August 11 and 12. Unit 1 was already under maintenance, causing the entire plant to be temporarily shut down.
The teams at the plant are currently conducting diagnostics and interventions to safely restart the production units. The restart of units 2, 3, and 4 is currently planned for August 14, 2022.
Jellyfish-induced shutdowns of nuclear power plants have occurred worldwide since at least the 1980s, notably affecting facilities in France, China, Japan, India, Israel, Scotland, and Sweden, with increasing frequency linked to climate change and ecological shifts.
The Gravelines power plant is planning to host two next-generation reactors (EPR2) of 1,600 MW each by 2040. However, Greenpeace has denounced the installation of these reactors on polders.
Interestingly, the jellyfish invasion is not a new phenomenon for EDF, as they have encountered similar issues in the past. In fact, the incident at the Gravelines power plant is reminiscent of a 1990s event where EDF experienced a similar disruption due to jellyfish.
Similar cases have occurred in other countries, including the United States, Scotland, Sweden, and Japan. For instance, in 2021, another nuclear power plant in France suffered a 24-hour production drop due to a school of small fish infiltrating the Paluel power plant in Seine-Maritime, settling in the plant's water pumping station.
While these incidents disrupt power production temporarily, operators confirm they pose no direct safety or environmental risk. The problem is considered an ongoing environmental challenge for coastal nuclear plants reliant on seawater cooling.
[1] Jellyfish Invasion Forces Shutdown of Nuclear Power Plant in France
[2] Jellyfish Shutdown Nuclear Power Plants: A Growing Trend
[3] Asian Moon Jellyfish: A Climate Change Success Story?
[4] Jellyfish Blooms and Nuclear Power Plants: A Growing Concern
[1] Jellyfish invasions have become a worrying trend in the power generation industry, with the latest incident involving France's Gravelines power plant.
[2] The raising frequency of jellyfish-induced shutdowns at nuclear power plants globally underscores the need for more focus on environmental-science research, particularly in relation to climate-change impacts on marine life.
[3] Financial investments in the energy sector should also consider the potential financial implications associated with energy disruptions due to environmental factors such as jellyfish blooms. The success of invasive species like the Asian moon jellyfish could signal an increase in these operational challenges, potentially impacting both power production and safety.
[4] As coastline industries, like France's nuclear power plants, continue to rely on seawater for cooling, it's crucial for these industries to engage in sustainable and responsible practices to minimize threats such as jellyfish blooms and their potential effects on power production.
