Energy News

Jellyfish cause nuclear power shutdown

Thursday 30 June, 2011

By Martin Fagan - news@consumerchoices.co.uk

Power station shuts down because jellyfish almost sucked into reactor.

Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian switched off both its reactors when it was discovered that the plant’s water cooling filters were being obstructed by jellyfish, it emerged yesterday.

The Scottish power plant, which is operated by EDF Energy, said it had shut down the reactors to comply with safety procedures and that the jellyfish posed no danger to the public.

Torness has two Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors that require a constant supply of sea water to ensure the plant operates safely - and this sea water is passed through special filters to prevent seaweed and marine animals entering the cooling system.

If these filters become blocked, the plant has to shut down the reactors as a safety precaution.

An EDF spokesman told BBC Scotland: "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."

A clean-up operation is under way but it could be next week before Torness is operational and generating power again.

It is not known how many jellyfish were involved in the incident.