Jellyfish force shutdown of three reactors at French nuclear plant

France has seen nuclear power production disrupted by multiple heatwaves and droughts this year.(AFP) — A nuclear plant in northern France shut down three reactors after a swarm of jellyfish clogged pumps used to cool the units, energy group EDF said Tuesday.Three reactors were taken offline Monday and output at a fourth was cut in half, EDF said in a statement, leaving just one operating at full capacity.A sixth reactor was already offline for scheduled maintenance.“This situation has no impact on the safety of the facilities, the safety of personnel or the environment,” EDF said.France has seen nuclear power production disrupted by multiple heat waves and droughts this year, with EDF shutting down several reactors in June and July because of extreme heat.On Sunday — before the latest closures — France recorded a shortfall of 15.6% in nuclear power production, according to AFP calculations based on EDF data published since 2015.The Gravelines nuclear power plant, near the northern city of Dunkirk, is the largest in Western Europe, with six 900-megawatt reactors.The nuclear power plant was temporarily taken offline a year ago after jellyfish clogged its seawater pumping stations.Swarms of jellyfish have also forced nuclear plants to shut down elsewhere, including a three-day closure in Sweden in 2013 and a 1999 incident in Japan that caused a major drop in output.Experts say overfishing, plastic pollution and warming seas caused by climate change have created conditions that allow jellyfish to thrive and reproduce.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads