Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
BBC News correspondent Tom Symonds reported that National Grid chief executive John Pettigrew confirmed power was available to sustain operations at Heathrow airport during the recent shutdown. In an interview with the Financial Times, Pettigrew acknowledged that a fire at a substation was a rare occurrence but clarified that two other substations were still operational and capable of supplying power to the airport in west London. Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye had previously stated that the shutdown was not due to a power shortage but rather the time needed to switch from the damaged substation to the remaining two.
The fire, which originated in a transformer at an electrical substation in Hayes north of Heathrow, started around midnight. While the airport has emergency backup power sources, including diesel generators and batteries to sustain critical safety systems like landing equipment and runway lights, the main power supply for Heathrow comes from the National Grid. The airport also relies on a separate biomass power generator to provide heat and electricity to Terminal Two. Pettigrew expressed surprise at the extent of the transformer failure, noting that such incidents are rare in his three-decade career in the industry.
A spokesperson for Heathrow responded to Pettigrew’s remarks, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of the incident and the challenge of safely restarting operations. The decision to temporarily close the airport on Friday was made in the interest of safety as managers worked to transition to alternative National Grid supplies. The delays in reopening were attributed to the complex process of reallocating the power supply and ensuring the safe restart of various airport systems. Former British Airways executive Willie Walsh criticized the handling of the shutdown, calling it a planning failure by the airport and raising questions about the protocols for managing power outages.
Following the incident, the government launched a six-week investigation led by the National Energy System Operator to delve into the circumstances surrounding the shutdown. Woldbye, who faced criticism for his remarks on the airport’s swift recovery, expressed readiness to be held accountable, including answering to the prime minister. The duration of the shutdown caused frustration among airlines, prompting calls for a review of emergency response procedures and contingency plans at Heathrow. The aftermath of the incident has underscored the need for robust measures to safeguard against similar disruptions in the future
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.