Jellyfish Shut French Nuclear Reactors as Heat Wave Builds

Electricite de France SA was forced to shut four atomic reactors after a swarm of jellyfish clogged up filter drums at its Gravelines power plant.

The “massive and unforeseen” presence of jellyfish in the filter drums of pumping stations closed four out of six reactors at Gravelines on the north coast of France, EDF said in a . Pumping stations for coastal nuclear plants usually draw in sea water for cooling, sometimes exposing them to marine life.

A marine heat wave is intensifying off the west coast of France, with unusually warm waters in the English Channel near Gravelines, show. Jellyfish populations can “bloom” at such times, and France has closed several beaches in recent weeks due to invasions of the marine animals with stinging tentacles, according to by the beach information app Meduseo.

The 3.6 gigawatts of generating capacity will be returned to service later this week, according to EDF, which has already flagged potential curbs to its nuclear output as a result of the heat wave baking Europe. The utility has said high temperatures in the Garonne and Rhone rivers are likely to compromise cooling procedures at some atomic sites. Temperatures in southwest France could top 43C (109F) over the next two days.

Fish clogged up filters at another French nuclear site in 2021 and EDF’s Torness station in Britain has been halted several times due to excessive amounts of seaweed.

Europe is braced for wildfire threats and scorching weather, as a heat wave engulfs the region this week.

The highest red alerts for heat have been issued for 12 departments in southwest France, while similar warnings are in place for two areas in northwest Spain. A red alert for Seville has been issued for Tuesday, with temperatures climbing to as high as 44C, according to forecaster AEMET.

Amber heat warnings are in place for other areas of a Spain and the Mediterranean, from Italy to Greece, and across central Europe as a high-pressure system is amplified by former tropical storm Dexter.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves in Europe, the world’s fastest warming continent. That’s triggering more extreme weather events, including the deadly wildfires that ravaged Aude in southwest France last week.

Those fires, which destroyed houses and vineyards, killing one person and injuring 25, were brought under control on Sunday, . However, about 1,300 firefighters are still working to fully extinguish the blaze, which burned 160 square miles 鈥� an area larger than Paris.

Wildfire risks are very high across much of Greece, including Athens and the surrounding Attica region, along with the largest islands of Crete and Evia. Temperatures are set to reach 41C in parts of the mainland.

Strong winds drove more than 90 wildfires across the country over the weekend, and two electricity workers were detained on Saturday over alleged negligence after a severed cable sparked a blaze in east Attica that burnt about 16 square kilometers.