Cause of catastrophic power outage that shut down Heathrow revealed

WorldTechnology
2 Jul 2025 • 5:06 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

  • A fire at the North Hyde electricity substation on 20 March caused a catastrophic power outage, leading to the near-complete closure of Heathrow Airport the next day.
  • The National Energy System Operator's final report attributed the fire to a known transformer problem, with National Grid failing to act on an elevated moisture reading detected in 2018 that indicated an imminent fault.
  • Heathrow Airport was aware of the potential for power disruption, classifying a total loss of power as a high-impact, low-probability event, and its internal electrical network was not configured for quick recovery, relying on manual switching.
  • The incident resulted in over 1,400 flight cancellations and an estimated £100 million in losses for airlines.
  • Ofgem has launched an investigation into the incident, while Heathrow blamed outdated regulation and National Grid's maintenance failures.

IN FULL

Newswav Malaysia Best News App

Newswav is an online content aggregator and obtains its content from different online sources. The content in the app do not belong to Newswav nor do they reflect the opinions of Newswav and its staff. Your use of this app indicates your understanding and acceptance of this information.

Newswav Sdn. Bhd. (201701008480 (1222645-M)) 2026 All Rights Reserved