Cause of catastrophic power outage that shut down Heathrow revealed

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

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  • 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  • Ofgem has launched an investigation into the incident, while Heathrow blamed outdated regulation and National Grid's maintenance failures.

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