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Europe's Heatwave is Forcing Nuclear Power Plants To Shut Down (qz.com)

Posted by msmash on from the closer-look dept.

Europe's heatwave -- which led to wildfires in Greece and Sweden, droughts in central and northern parts, and made the normally green UK look brown from space -- is forcing nuclear plants to shut down or curtail the amount of power they produce, local media reports. From a report: French utility EDF shut four reactors at three power plants on Saturday, Swedish utility Vattenfall shut one of two reactors at a power plant earlier last week, and nuclear plants in Finland, Germany, and Switzerland have cut back the amount of power they produce. Thermal power plants, such as nuclear or coal, use high-temperature steam to turn turbines, which convert heat energy into electricity. In the process, the steam's temperature falls, so it can no longer be used to move the turbine again. [...] Europe's heatwave, however, hasn't just increased air temperatures but also water temperatures.

5 of 281 comments (clear)

  1. We care about climate change by foxalopex · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem with climate change isn't so much as our planet breaking but everything we depend on breaking. Somewhat wacky that nuclear reactors aren't designed to handle this heat but then again I would have never imagined the crazy kind of temperatures Europe has skyrocketed up to. So one has to wonder, what other stuff is going to break?

  2. I thought nuclear power was the answer to AGW? by Ichijo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    On the "bright" side, there's a lot of sun right now for the PV panels!

    --
    Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
  3. Reason why reactors were shut down by Morgaine · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From TFA, the reason why the reactors were shut down (which wasn't included in the summary) is:

    Europe's heatwave, however, hasn't just increased air temperatures but also water temperatures. Regulations protecting wildlife mean that the usual water sources drawn on by nuclear plants cannot always be used for cooling, leading to shutdowns. It's not the first time this has happened: Heatwaves forced nuclear shutdowns or curtailments across Europe in 2003, 2006, and 2015.

    Yeah, I know that reading TFA is no longer cool on Slashdot, but someone has to help out the editors. :P

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    "The question of whether machines can think is no more interesting than [] whether submarines can swim" - Dijkstra
    1. Re:Reason why reactors were shut down by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      From TFA, the reason why the reactors were shut down (which wasn't included in the summary) is:

      Europe's heatwave, however, hasn't just increased air temperatures but also water temperatures. Regulations protecting wildlife mean that the usual water sources drawn on by nuclear plants cannot always be used for cooling, leading to shutdowns. It's not the first time this has happened: Heatwaves forced nuclear shutdowns or curtailments across Europe in 2003, 2006, and 2015.

      Yeah, I know that reading TFA is no longer cool on Slashdot, but someone has to help out the editors. :P

      At /., accuracy and completeness isn't as important as the narrative.

  4. Re:uhhh cool the water then? by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There's rivers in the US where power plants have raised the water temperature 20 degrees and essentially displaced the entire habitat.

    An exaggeration. But do you know how much habitat Hydro power has displaced by comparison?