UPDATE: The Gravelines nuclear plant in northern France faces an urgent delay in the restart of four reactors due to an unprecedented invasion of jellyfish. Initial plans to resume operations today have been pushed back as the plant grapples with the impact of this unexpected marine event.
EDF data reveals that the first reactor, unit 6, was anticipated to restart on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, but by midday, it had still not resumed operations. The remaining reactors are scheduled to come back online one by one, with the last expected to return to service by Friday, September 29, 2023. Each of the six units at Gravelines generates 900 megawatts, cumulatively producing a significant 5.4 gigawatts of power.
The shutdown was triggered by a “massive and unpredictable” swarm of English Barrel jellyfish, a non-stinging species that can grow up to 90 centimeters across. The jellyfish infiltrated the cooling systems, causing an immediate halt to operations. While two reactors were already undergoing planned maintenance, the remaining four were taken offline to address the jellyfish blockage.
The invasion comes amid a severe heatwave affecting France, raising concerns about challenges to nuclear cooling systems. Experts like citizen scientist Aäron Fabrice de Kisangani suggest that rising sea temperatures could lead to larger jellyfish blooms, exacerbating the risk of similar incidents in the future. He noted that the current likely swept the jellyfish from the harbor into the canal, where they became trapped in the suction of the water coolant system.
This is not the first time jellyfish have disrupted nuclear operations. In 2011, Scotland’s Torness faced similar challenges, highlighting a growing concern for nuclear plants globally.
As the situation develops, all eyes are on EDF for updates regarding the operational status of the Gravelines plant. Authorities will continue to monitor the cooling systems closely and mitigate further disruptions.
For residents of northern France and energy consumers nationwide, the implications of this delay are significant. The Gravelines plant is one of the largest nuclear facilities in the country, and any prolonged outage could impact energy availability during a critical period marked by extreme heat.
Stay tuned for further updates as officials work to resolve this urgent issue and restore power generation at the Gravelines nuclear plant.
