水母入侵何以“逼停”法国最大核电站

Core Viewpoint - The unexpected shutdown of France's largest nuclear power plant, Gravelines, was caused by an unprecedented influx of jellyfish, specifically the "giant barrel jellyfish," which clogged the cooling system's filters, leading to the temporary shutdown of four reactors [1][2]. Group 1: Incident Overview - On August 11, the French electricity company announced that the Gravelines nuclear power plant had to temporarily shut down four of its six reactors due to a significant and unforeseen presence of jellyfish in the cooling system [1]. - The Gravelines plant has a total installed capacity of 5.4 gigawatts, accounting for approximately 6% of France's total electricity production [1]. - The incident occurred between the night of August 10 and the morning of August 11, resulting in all six reactors being offline, although no safety impact was reported [1]. Group 2: Jellyfish Invasion Context - The occurrence of such a large-scale jellyfish bloom near the Gravelines plant had never been documented before [2]. - Experts indicated that the jellyfish's swimming capabilities are insufficient to navigate around obstacles, leading to their accumulation in the cooling water intake due to ocean currents and wind [2]. - Similar incidents have been reported historically in other countries, including the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Japan, where jellyfish invasions have led to nuclear plant shutdowns [3]. Group 3: Broader Implications - The increase in jellyfish populations is linked to human activities, such as overfishing, which reduces their natural predators, and climate change, which raises sea temperatures conducive to jellyfish proliferation [4]. - Rising sea temperatures accelerate the development of jellyfish larvae, contributing to their overpopulation, which poses threats to marine ecosystems by competing with fish for food and consuming fish eggs and larvae [4]. - Experts warn that climate change is creating new risks for critical infrastructure, as demonstrated by the Gravelines incident, highlighting the need for resilient infrastructure to withstand such ecological changes [5][6].