A large swarm of jellyfish clogged filters at France’s Gravelines nuclear plant, forcing an automatic shutdown of four reactor units.
GRAVELINES: One of France’s largest nuclear power plants was forced to temporarily shut down on Monday after an unexpected swarm of jellyfish blocked its cooling system. The Gravelines facility in northern France saw four of its six reactor units automatically switch off as the marine creatures clogged intake filters.
The plant’s two other units were already offline for scheduled maintenance. Operator EDF confirmed that there was “no impact on the safety of the facilities, the safety of personnel, or the environment.” The shutdown was described as a precautionary measure to protect the plant’s cooling operations.
Jellyfish swarms, while natural, can occur suddenly and in massive numbers, posing operational challenges for coastal power stations. Scientists say such events may be linked to changes in sea temperature, overfishing of jellyfish predators, and shifting marine ecosystems.
The Gravelines incident highlights how even highly controlled energy facilities remain vulnerable to unexpected natural events. EDF said teams worked to clear the filters, and normal operations are expected to resume once the cooling system is fully restored.
