Jellyfish have filled the cooling system of the Gravelines nuclear power plant, forcing the shutdown of four reactors, however, the plant operator EDF reports that there is no threat to the environment and residents, reports Politico.
An EDF representative said on the 11th of August that the reactors were shut down after a large number of jellyfish were found in the pump station filters. The specific elements of the pump station provide cooling for parts of the NPP where nuclear reactions do not occur. Currently, diagnostic work is underway at the plant, and the necessary repairs are being made to restore NPP operation.
Three of the four reactors automatically shut down late on the evening of the 10th of August, and the fourth unit – early on the morning of the 11th of August. The NPP has a total of six reactors, and each produces 5.4 gigawatts of energy. The two reactors that continued to operate are undergoing maintenance.
The water for the NPP’s cooling system is drawn from a canal connected to the North Sea.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of jellyfish on nearby beaches, which is attributed to rising sea temperatures and changes in water salinity. The jellyfish’s proliferation is also being driven by overfishing, which is reducing the number of jellyfish’s natural enemies.
EDF, France’s main energy producer and distributor, said the incident posed no threat to the environment or its workers.
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