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Swarm of jellyfish overwhelms nuclear power plant, causes several reactors to shut down — here's what happened
Swarm of jellyfish overwhelms nuclear power plant, causes several reactors to shut down — here's what happened
A swarm of jellyfish has forced the partial shutdown of one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants, according to The Weather Channel.
While officials stressed that the situation posed much more of an inconvenience than a threat to public safety, the circumstances highlighted the impact that wildlife can have on human infrastructure.
It also cast a spotlight on how rising temperatures on land and in the world's oceans are altering human-wildlife interactions.
What's happening?
Four of the six nuclear reactors at France's Gravelines nuclear power plant were shut down after an intake pipe used to draw water for cooling from a canal became clogged with jellyfish, Reuters reported.
At full capacity, the plant is capable of producing 5.4 gigawatts of electricity, according to Reuters. This makes it the largest nuclear plant not only in France but in all of Western Europe, per Islander News.
The plant's nuclear reactors are cooled using water from a canal that connects to the North Sea. Over the weekend of August 9-10, currents drew a swarm of English barrel jellyfish into the canal, where they likely got stuck in the suction of the cooling system's water intake, according to Aäron Fabrice de Kisangani, a citizen scientist who spoke to Reuters.
Barrel jellyfish are the largest jellyfish in the United Kingdom, capable of reaching nearly 3 feet in diameter and weighing over 150 pounds, per The Wildlife Trusts.
Fabrice de Kisangani, the citizen scientist, told Reuters that warmer ocean temperatures potentially led to a larger-than-usual bloom of jellyfish, while warmer temps also allowed the jellyfish to remain in the area for later into the year than formerly was possible.
After the jellyfish were cleared from the intake pipes, officials planned to bring the nuclear reactors back online one at a time over the following week, per Reuters.
Why do jellyfish clogging a power plant matter?
While government officials have emphasized that the situation posed no risk to the public or the environment, the circumstances highlight the impact that rising temperatures on land and in the sea are having on human-wildlife interactions.
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As Fabrice de Kisangani pointed out, English barrel jellyfish are native to the North Sea, but warmer weather may have resulted in larger-than-usual jellyfish blooms and the animals staying in the area later in the season.
The situation highlighted how rising global temperatures have been changing wildlife behavior around the globe, leading to potential conflicts between humans and animals.
While barrel jellyfish are native to the North Sea, rising temperatures on land and in the ocean have fueled the spread of dangerous invasive species, as well. Invasive species outcompete local species, disrupting the delicate balance of ecosystems.
Even native species remaining in certain regions longer than usual during the year can have unforeseen consequences, as the barrel jellyfish have demonstrated.
What's being done about rising ocean temperatures?
As global temperatures rise, 90% of that extra heat is absorbed by the world's oceans, causing the water temperature to increase drastically, according to NOAA. The resulting increase in water temperatures disrupts important ocean currents, fuels the spread of invasive species, and contributes significantly to sea-level rise through a process known as thermal expansion.
In order to reverse this trend, it is necessary to drastically reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere. To make a difference at the political level, you can use your voice to support political candidates who share your policy priorities.
Taking things a step further, you can reduce heat-trapping pollution directly by driving an EV or installing solar panels on your home.
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