The UK government has launched an urgent investigation after a power failure caused major disruption at Heathrow Airport. Officials called the event a “wake-up call” about weaknesses in national infrastructure.
300,000 Passengers Stranded as Flights Canceled
On Friday, a fire at a high-voltage substation in Hayes cut power to Heathrow Airport, grounding over 1,350 flights. The outage affected around 300,000 passengers, causing long delays, missed flights, and travel chaos.
The airport restored full operations on Saturday, but delays will likely continue for days. Many passengers faced extra costs to rebook flights, with some missing important events.
Farah Rafeeq, 24, was set to fly to Cambodia for a wedding but lost her flight due to the outage. “I had to buy a new ticket, and it cost me twice as much,” she said.
Government Launches Investigation into Power Failure
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has asked the National Energy System Operator (Neso) to investigate the cause of the failure. He stressed the need to prevent such large-scale incidents in the future.
“We must fully understand what happened and take steps to stop this from happening again,” Miliband said.
Counter-terrorism police are also looking into the fire but found no signs of foul play.
The government’s energy regulator, Ofgem, warned it would take action if any company failed to meet industry standards. Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office is leading a national review of energy resilience. Minister Pat McFadden, who oversees the review, said a recent 2024 risk report had already raised concerns about energy supply to critical sites.
Heathrow’s Energy System Under Scrutiny
Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye defended the airport’s response, saying staff acted quickly to handle the crisis. He explained that Heathrow uses three power substations, and the outage required an emergency power shift.
“This issue was not caused by Heathrow,” Woldbye said. “We had to manage the impact.”
However, Lord Toby Harris, chair of the National Preparedness Commission, criticized the airport’s reliance on a single substation. He called it “extraordinary” that such a failure could bring Heathrow to a halt. He also warned that Heathrow’s response seemed too relaxed.
Warnings About Energy Risks Ignored
Experts had warned about this risk long before the outage. A 2014 consultancy report, cited by the Financial Times, had flagged Heathrow’s energy system as a “key weakness.” The report noted that even short power cuts could cause widespread disruption.
Despite this warning, little was done to strengthen the system. The latest failure has now forced officials to take action.
Frustrated Travelers Face Costly Delays
The power outage left passengers stranded for hours, with some forced to sleep at the airport. Airlines struggled to manage rebookings as many flights were fully booked.
Hundreds of extra staff were brought in to assist travelers, but many still faced long lines and confusion.
“We didn’t know what was happening,” said Jake Miller, a traveler heading to New York. “Every few minutes, they changed the information. Then suddenly, they canceled my flight.”
Passengers also took to social media to share their frustration. Many posted pictures of long lines and crowded terminals, calling the situation “a disaster.”
UK Plans for Energy Review
Fintan Slye, CEO of Neso, said the agency will work with all stakeholders to review the event. The goal is to improve energy resilience across the country.
“Heathrow uses the energy of a small city,” said Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. “We need to understand what went wrong and make sure this never happens again.”
Neso is expected to release initial findings within six weeks. The investigation will likely lead to new policies on energy supply for major infrastructure sites.
The Heathrow outage is one of the biggest travel disruptions in recent years, drawing attention from around the world. As the investigation moves forward, both the government and private companies will face pressure to improve energy security, not just in the UK, but globally.