A swarm of jellyfish has forced four reactors at France’s Gravelines nuclear power plant offline after clogging the facility’s cooling water filters.
The incident took place between August 10 and 11, when the jellyfish swarmed into the intake system that draws in seawater to cool the reactors. The filter drums became blocked, triggering an automatic shutdown of the units. The plant’s two remaining nuclear reactors were already offline for scheduled maintenance.
EDF, which operates the plant, confirmed there was no safety or environmental risk from the shutdown and said work was underway to clear the blockage and restart operations. The company expects a phased return, with full power generation delayed until later this week.
“The plant teams are mobilised and are currently carrying out the necessary diagnostics and interventions to be able to restart the production units safely,” said EDF.
Experts say jellyfish are “weak swimmers”
Speaking to the BBC, Jellyfish expert Ruth Chamberlain said the incident was unsurprising given the temperatures western Europe has seen this summer.
The creatures are more active in the warmer months, and the hot weather increases plankton levels at the surface of the water, drawing them “up from the depths.”
Additionally, they are “very weak swimmers” and would have struggled to steer clear of the plant’s cooling system.
“They rely on the flow of water, the current… It’s not like if they get stuck on something, they can swim off,” she said.
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