Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has ordered an urgent investigation into the power outage caused by a substation fire that led to Heathrow Airport’s temporary closure on Friday. The investigation, spearheaded by the National Energy System Operator (NESO), aims to establish a clear understanding of the incident and assess the UK’s energy resilience to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“We are determined to properly understand what happened and what lessons need to be learned,” Miliband stated.
The fire, which broke out at the North Hyde substation in West London, resulted in widespread power disruptions, affecting over 16,300 homes and businesses, including Heathrow Airport. The outage caused the cancellation of thousands of flights, stranding passengers across the globe. Heathrow remained largely closed on Friday but reopened on Saturday morning.
According to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, about 150 residents in the vicinity of the substation were also evacuated as a precaution. Although counter-terrorism officers initially led inquiries, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the incident is not being treated as suspicious.
NESO is expected to submit its initial findings to Ofgem and the government within six weeks. The investigation will also examine broader energy resilience concerns related to critical national infrastructure.
The disruption at Heathrow was extensive, with nearly 1,400 flights affected, forcing about 120 diversions. On Saturday, efforts to recover operations included adding 50 additional slots, allowing 10,000 extra passengers to transit through the airport. However, over 30 departures were still cancelled, and delays persisted.
The impact extended beyond Heathrow, with travelers facing significant inconvenience. Farah Rafeeq, a 24-year-old passenger bound for Cambodia, had to rebook through Gatwick at double the original cost. Similarly, Charlotte and her family were left stranded in Miami when their American Airlines flight was turned around mid-journey. The airline assured affected passengers that it was working around the clock to rebook flights and provide accommodation.
Heathrow’s CEO, Thomas Woldbye, emphasized that the disruption stemmed from an external event and highlighted the challenges of switching power sources swiftly. In response, Heathrow has commissioned a separate review of its crisis management, led by former Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly.
As the investigation unfolds, questions regarding the resilience of the UK’s energy infrastructure remain central, with authorities keen to ensure such incidents do not recur.
