Only one unit at six-unit facility operating at full capacity
The six-unit Gravelines nuclear power station in northern France shut down three reactors after a swarm of jellyfish clogged pumps used to cool the units, energy group EDF said on 11 August.
Three reactors were taken offline on Monday and output at a fourth was cut by 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,” said EDF.
France has seen nuclear power production disrupted by multiple heatwaves and droughts this year, with EDF shutting down several reactors in June and July because of extreme heat.
On 9 August, before the latest closures, France recorded a shortfall of 15.6% in nuclear power production, according to Agence France-Presse calculations based on EDF data published since 2015.
Gravelines, near the northern city of Dunkirk, is the largest commercial nuclear power station in Western Europe with six units of 910 MW (net) each.
It was temporarily taken offline a year ago after jellyfish clogged its seawater pumping stations.
