Mass of jellyfish disables French nuclear power station
The Gravelines nuclear power plant, one of France's largest, producing a total of 5.4 gigawatts of power, has temporarily halted production following a jellyfish incident. Three of its six reactors, including units 2, 3, and 4, were automatically shut down due to a swarm of jellyfish clogging the filter drums.
The incident occurred in the North Sea, where several species of jellyfish are native. Rising sea temperatures have created ideal conditions for jellyfish proliferation, increasing the frequency of such events. Dead jellyfish can further complicate systems by turning into gel that passes screens and clogs deeper parts of the cooling circuits.
Fortunately, the staff at the Gravelines plant were not affected by the incident, and the safety of the facilities was not compromised. The environment at the plant also remained unaffected. The other two units of the plant are offline for planned maintenance, not due to the jellyfish incident.
Cleaning jellyfish from intake pipes is a complex and hazardous task, sometimes taking up to two days. During this period, plant operations remain at risk. The proliferation of jellyfish near coastal plants is linked to several factors, including warmer seas, increased plastic waste providing breeding grounds, and deteriorating marine ecosystems.
This trend raises concerns about future interruptions in nuclear power generation due to jellyfish swarms. The incident at the Gravelines plant serves as a reminder of the potential risks posed by these marine creatures to nuclear cooling systems.
Reactor 6 of the Gravelines plant was shut down shortly after reactors 2, 3, and 4. Each of the plant's six units produces 900 megawatts of power. The entire nuclear plant is expected to resume operations once the jellyfish are cleared from the intake pipes, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the facilities.
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