Wed, 02 Jul 2025

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 Heathrow considering legal action against National Grid over fire that caused shutdown

An investigation finds National Grid had been aware of a problem at a substation since 2018.

* Heathrow Airport is considering legal action against National Grid over a fire at an electrical substation that caused the airport to shut down.
* An investigation found that National Grid had been aware of a problem with moisture affecting electrical parts at the North Hyde substation since 2018, but failed to fix it despite numerous opportunities.
* Heathrow claims that National Grid "could and should" have prevented the fire, and is expected to take accountability for its failings.
* Energy watchdog Ofgem has launched an investigation into National Grid following the report's release on Wednesday.
* The fire caused over 270,000 journeys to be affected, with thousands of flights cancelled and passengers stranded.
* Airlines based at Heathrow estimate that the closure cost carriers between £80m to £100m.
* The incident has raised wider questions about the UK's major infrastructure resilience.
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