Jellyfish Shut Nuclear Power Station

[Coast]

Both reactors at the Torness nuclear power station in Scotland were shut down on Wednesday after huge numbers of jellyfish were found in seawater entering the plant:

Thousands of jellyfish have been spotted by beach users up and down the country, and with the warmer weather over the past few days, more and more people have come across the creatures. Matt Roderick, from Perth Road, was swimming at Broughty Ferry beach when he realised he was surrounded by jellyfish. "I was up to my neck and at first it was only the cold that was worrying me — it was absolutely freezing," he said.

"Then I looked down and could see about six jellyfish floating near. It was quite scary. They're not huge and I don't know if they can sting you, but I got out the water as quickly as I could. "There were quite a few on the beach as well that had been washed up. They're quite scary looking." Meanwhile, legions of jellyfish disrupting the nuclear reactors at Torness have also made their way across the Forth, with dozens spotted on Seafield Beach at Kirkcaldy this week.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/National/article/15340/jellyfish-power-blooms-causing-waves-across-the-country.html

'High volumes' of jellyfish forced a nuclear power station to shutdown for two days after they swam into seawater filters. Staff switched off both reactors at the Torness plant, in Scotland, manually as a precaution. Fishermen in the area had been helping clear out the jellyfish so it could start generating power again. EDF Energy said that they were unsure when the plant in East Lothian would re-open.

It is the common jellyfish - known as Aurelia aurita - which had swam into the filters. The plant uses seawater to cool the reactors.

Although they do not sting, they should not be handled without gloves. A spokesman said the unit had been only shut down as a precautionary measure after 'high volumes' of jellyfish were found - and there was no danger to the public at any time. The seawater screens filter out debris in cooling water which enters the plant.

An EDF spokesman said: 'Reduced cooling water flows due to ingress from jellyfish, seaweed and other marine debris are considered as part of the station's safety case and are not an unknown phenomenon. 'This was a precautionary action and the shutdown cooling systems performed in a satisfactory manner and both reactors were safely shut down. 'At no time was there any danger to the public. There are no radiological aspects associated with this event and there has been no impact to the environment.' The Office of Nuclear Regulation has been fully briefed about the incident. Torness power station began generating electricity in 1988.

A spokesman for the National Grid said power supply to homes had not been affected by the closure.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009771/Jellyfish-force-shutdown-nuclear-power-station-swimming-filters.html#ixzz1QpxzfJTj