French nuclear plant shuts reactors after jellyfish swarm clogs cooling pumps

A nuclear power plant in northern France has been forced to shut down three of its reactors after a massive swarm of jellyfish clogged the water intake pumps essential for cooling the facility. The incident occurred on Monday, with the energy company EDF confirming the operational halt.

In addition to the full shutdown of three reactors, the power output from a fourth reactor was reduced by half. This leaves only one reactor currently operational at the plant. The jellyfish infestation specifically targeted the pumps responsible for drawing in seawater to cool the nuclear reactors, leading to the operational disruptions.

While nuclear power plants are designed to withstand various environmental conditions, such large-scale biological intrusions can pose unexpected challenges. This event underscores a peculiar environmental threat that can impact critical energy infrastructure, even in highly controlled industrial settings.