The head of an airline advocacy group has informed officials at Heathrow Airport about the potential risk of substation failures prior to a fire that resulted in the airport’s shutdown last month. According to Nigel Wicking, the CEO of the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee, he had voiced concerns regarding the substations’ resilience before the incident. A fire at one of Heathrow’s three electrical substations caused a power outage on March 21. This shutdown disrupted holiday plans and caused widespread flight disruptions. Wicking suggests that better utilization of the airport’s terminals could have allowed some flights to resume earlier. The fire has raised concerns about the vulnerability of Britain’s infrastructure, with experts suggesting it could cost up to $100 million and take years to implement backup systems. Additionally, there have been theft incidents around the power supply at the substation, further emphasizing the need for Heathrow’s resilience.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/world/europe/heathrow-airport-power-outage-substation.html