A nuclear power plant in Gravelines, France, was temporarily suspended due to an unexpected issue involving a massive influx of jellyfish impacting its cooling systems. The site, part of France’s largest nuclear facility, experienced a shutdown as the swarms of jellyfish filled the filtering drums of its pumping stations, according to Reuters. This led to an interruption in the operation of its six reactors, each producing 900 megawatts of power.
The safety of the plant’s staff, the environment, and the surrounding area were not compromised by this incident, according to the reports. The cooling water for the facility is sourced from the North Sea, where several species of jellyfish are known to reside, carried by the undercurrents and oceanic winds.
Experts, including Derek Wright, a U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine biologist, noted that rising sea temperatures have contributed to the rapid reproduction of these jellyfish. ‘Areas like the North Sea are becoming warmer, [and] the reproductive window is getting wider and wider,’ Wright explained. Additionally, the movement of jellyfish can be facilitated by tanker ships, which sometimes transport them across vast distances through their ballast tanks.
The British Natural History Museum highlighted that oil and gas extraction in the North Sea has been linked to increased pollution, which in turn disrupts marine ecosystems. ‘High levels of pollutants in the sediment near platforms caused natural food webs to break down, leaving a simpler and less diverse ecosystem behind,’ the museum stated on its website. The North Sea, one of the world’s major offshore oil and gas extraction areas, has experienced significant ecological changes due to these activities.