<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/nuclear-reactors-taken-offline-in-france-as-extreme-heat-pushes-river-temperatures-into-danger-zone/>
"As Pauline Hanson seizes a moment of winter dunkelflaute to wax philosophical
on the folly of weather-dependent energy, French utility EDF is busy explaining
what happens to nuclear power – Hanson’s preferred power generation source –
when record-breaking heatwaves, intensified by climate change, just won’t let
up.
EDF has taken a series of its 57 nuclear reactors offline this week – around
6.2 gigawatts in total, and nearly 10 per cent of its total fleet – in response
to the heatwave gripping France, part of a weather system described as an Omega
block which allows temperatures to build over an area, without relief.
EDF has taken this action because its nuclear plants are subject to strict
environmental regulations limiting the use of rivers to cool the plants if the
river water passes a certain temperature threshold.
The nuclear shutdowns included two reactors at the Nogent-sur-Seine plant on
the Seine river, north of Paris, “to limit the temperature increase between the
water withdrawn from the Seine and the water discharged back into it, thereby
protecting aquatic plant and animal life,” EDF said.
According to
Reuters, the heat has also reduced output at the Saint-Alban 2
and Bugey 3 reactors on the Rhône river in eastern France, and the Nogent 2
reactor on the Seine southeast of Paris. The Golfech 2 reactor on the Garonne
river in southwest France went offline late Monday due to the heat.
As
AAP reports, much of France has been under severe heat alert this week,
with temperatures hitting 40°C on Tuesday, and up to 43°C in some parts of
western France.
The country recorded its hottest afternoon and night since records began in
1947, and 54 departments are under red alert in what forecasters said was
unprecedented.
Météo-France said conditions were comparable to the August 2003 heatwave,
which lasted 16 days and led to an estimated 80,000 excess deaths across
Europe, according to the EU."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
