Resilience Tested: Heathrow's Response to Major Power Outage

A major power outage at London's Heathrow Airport in March led to the hub's closure, causing disruption and financial loss. A review concluded that the airport's response was appropriate under the circumstances and suggests further investment in energy resilience to prevent future incidents.

In March, London's Heathrow Airport faced a significant challenge when a power outage forced the facility to shut down for nearly a full day, impacting Europe's busiest travel hub. A review released Wednesday confirmed the airport made sound decisions during this crisis.

The sudden closure on March 21 affected airlines and passengers, costing tens of millions of pounds and highlighting concerns over the robustness of Britain's infrastructure. Former transport minister Ruth Kelly, who conducted the review, noted that alternative actions would not have changed the outcome appreciably.

Heathrow had contingency plans, and the review emphasized the importance of investing in energy resilience to mitigate future incidents. The fire at a nearby electricity substation, which caused the power failure, was deemed non-suspicious by authorities. Recommendations from the review include enhancing collaboration with power distributor SSEN and evaluating additional back-up power options.

(With inputs from agencies.)