Recent shutdowns at France’s Gravelines Nuclear Power Station highlight the growing challenge of jellyfish swarms clogging cooling systems. Nuclear plants depend on seawater intake for cooling, but mass jellyfish blooms can block pipes, forcing reactors offline to prevent overheating.
The rise in such incidents is linked to warming oceans, overfishing, and pollution—factors that boost jellyfish populations. These shutdowns not only disrupt power supply but also reflect wider marine ecosystem imbalances.
Experts suggest better screening systems, monitoring blooms, and tackling climate change and pollution as key strategies to protect both energy security and ocean health.
