Jellyfish Clog Up Water Intake for Reactor 3 at Ooi Nuclear Power Plant

(UPDATE: Somehow jellyfish was repelled, and the full operation started. To read about the response the senior vice minister in charge of securing safety of the plant to the jellyfish attack, go to my latest post.)

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Even the jellyfish is anti-nuclear these days in Japan. A large number of jellyfish clogged up the water intake at Ooi Nuclear Power Plant, and KEPCO may be forced to delay the full operation of Reactor 3.

From Fukui Shinbun (7/8/2012):

大飯３号機クラゲ発生で出力低下 フル稼働ずれ込む可能性も

Reactor 3 at Ooi Nuclear Power Plant power decline due to jellyfish, full operation may get delayed

経済産業省原子力安全・保安院と関西電力は８日、大飯原発３号機（福井県おおい町、加圧水型軽水炉、１１８万キロワット）の取水口付近にクラゲが大量発生し、電気出力が若干低下したと発表した。９日午前１時ごろを予定していた定格熱出力一定運転によるフル稼働がずれ込む可能性がある。

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and KEPCO announced on July 8 that due to a large outbreak of jellyfish at the water intake for Reactor 3 at Ooi Nuclear Power Plant (in Ooi-cho, Fukui Prefecture, 1.18 million kilowatt pressurized water reactor) the electrical output decreased slightly. The full operation is scheduled at about 1AM on July 9, but that may be delayed.

関電によると、取水口にクラゲが押し寄せたため、タービンを回した後の蒸気を冷やす海水の取水量を８日午後２時５５分から絞り込み、発電の効率が下がった。７日午後１１時２０分には電気出力が１００％の１１８万キロワットに到達していたが、現在は約２％低い１１６万キロワットで運転している。

According to KEPCO, jellyfish swarmed the water intake, and the company reduced the amount of seawater intake for the heat exchanger for the steam that turns the turbine at 2:55PM on July 8, which lowered the power generation efficiency. The electrical output had reached 100% at 11:20PM on July 7, but it is currently about 2% lower.

関電は８日午後９時ごろまでにクラゲが引かなければフル稼働を遅らせる考えで、９日午前７時ごろになる可能性もあるという。

KEPCO will delay the full operation if jellyfish don't go away by 9PM on July 8. The full operation may not start until 7AM on July 9.

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