Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, faced a major disruption on Friday due to a fire that caused the airport to shut down for 18 hours. The fire originated in a transformer within an electrical substation in Hayes, north of Heathrow, leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights and leaving passengers stranded globally. The incident also disrupted the flow of millions of pounds worth of goods passing through the airport.
National Grid’s chief executive, John Pettigrew, reassured that Heathrow had “enough power” from other substations despite the fire knocking out one substation. He mentioned that two other substations were operational and capable of powering the airport in west London. However, the shutdown was not due to a lack of power but rather the time it took to switch from the damaged substation to the other two.
Heathrow’s emergency back-up power supplies, including diesel generators and batteries, only kept crucial safety systems running, such as landing equipment and runway lights. A separate biomass power generator provided heat and electricity to Terminal Two. Nonetheless, the National Grid remained the primary power source for Heathrow.
The airport’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, explained that the delay in reopening was due to the need to “reallocate” the power supply, involving shutting down and restarting various systems, which took a significant amount of time. The duration of the shutdown frustrated airlines, with former British Airways boss Willie Walsh criticizing it as a “clear planning failure.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasized that Heathrow’s management was a private company, and the decision-making process was under scrutiny. More than 63,000 homes lost power during the outage caused by the fire, with an evacuation of around 150 people from properties near the substation.
The government initiated a six-week investigation into the shutdown, led by the National Energy System Operator (Neso). Alexander highlighted the importance of protecting critical national infrastructure based on the findings of the Neso report and Heathrow’s internal investigation.
Simon Gallagher, managing director of UK Network Services, pointed out the vulnerability of all UK airports to National Grid faults. He raised questions about why Heathrow had not been protected in the same way as a nearby data center that entirely backs up its power sourcing.
The incident at Heathrow Airport serves as a reminder of the critical role power infrastructure plays in ensuring the smooth operation of essential services. As investigations continue, the focus remains on identifying vulnerabilities and implementing necessary measures to safeguard against future disruptions.
