Swarming Jellyfish Just Shut Down a Nuclear Reactor For The Second Time
On exactly the same date as last year.
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A nuclear power facility in northern France has experienced its second reactor shutdown caused by jellyfish in as many years, raising concerns about climate change’s impact on critical infrastructure. The Gravelines plant halted four reactor units on August 11 after massive jellyfish populations clogged the cooling water intake systems. Notably, this incident occurred on the exact same date as the previous year’s shutdown, suggesting a disturbing pattern in jellyfish behavior.
Following the 2025 incident, the plant’s operator invested hundreds of thousands of euros in prevention measures. Despite these efforts, the facility faced the same crisis just twelve months later. As a precautionary response, the plant temporarily ceased operations while crews worked to clear the jellyfish blockage. The utility company has since deployed fishing vessels for round-the-clock patrols to intercept future jellyfish swarms before they reach the facility’s pumping stations.
Scientists attribute the recurring problem to climate change, which elevates water temperatures and increases jellyfish reproduction rates by expanding their food sources and breeding seasons. The incident exemplifies how wildlife increasingly disrupts human infrastructure, joining a growing list of animal-caused outages and equipment failures worldwide. From raccoons damaging electrical substations to birds interfering with scientific instruments, nature’s encroachment on human technology serves as a reminder of our species’ environmental impact and the consequences that may follow.
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Originally reported by Sciencealert →
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