The fire at an electrical substation that closed Heathrow for over 12 hours in March was the result of a short circuit in a transformer part left unmaintained for nearly eight years, according to a report from British regulators released early Wednesday. This incident disrupted more than 1,000 flights, raising alarms about the reliability of critical safety systems at one of the world's busiest travel hubs.
Previously, officials had indicated that a fire within the substation was responsible but had ruled out foul play or terrorism. However, the final report details the negligence surrounding maintenance for the transformer known as SGT3, revealing that indicators of trouble with a bushing were documented back in 2018. Despite repeated attempts to schedule necessary maintenance, none took place, and the last routine inspection occurred in July 2018.
This breakdown in infrastructure prompted media and political scrutiny, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing his deep concerns about the implications for national resilience. The report raised additional red flags regarding Heathrow Airport’s internal systems, which were reportedly not equipped to swiftly utilize power from unaffected substations, complicating recovery from the outage.
The findings have led to serious discussions regarding the challenges facing Britain's electrical infrastructure, with questions lingering about the readiness of safety systems to handle future crises.
Previously, officials had indicated that a fire within the substation was responsible but had ruled out foul play or terrorism. However, the final report details the negligence surrounding maintenance for the transformer known as SGT3, revealing that indicators of trouble with a bushing were documented back in 2018. Despite repeated attempts to schedule necessary maintenance, none took place, and the last routine inspection occurred in July 2018.
This breakdown in infrastructure prompted media and political scrutiny, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing his deep concerns about the implications for national resilience. The report raised additional red flags regarding Heathrow Airport’s internal systems, which were reportedly not equipped to swiftly utilize power from unaffected substations, complicating recovery from the outage.
The findings have led to serious discussions regarding the challenges facing Britain's electrical infrastructure, with questions lingering about the readiness of safety systems to handle future crises.
