Stories

Wed, 01 Jul 2026

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 Why is crucial tech vulnerable to the heat?

Energy grids and train services are among the vital services that are vulnerable to very hot weather.

* The Eiffel Tower closed early due to high temperatures, and a transformer malfunctioned in Brittany, leaving over 100,000 people without power.
* Extreme heat can cause technology to fail, including electrical equipment, telecoms systems, and railway signalling cabinets.
* Climate change is leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves, which puts additional strain on infrastructure.
* Engineers are adapting infrastructure to cope with the heat, but it's a challenge: "Anything to do with the electricity network – the power lines, the interconnectors and transformers – they all struggle to keep themselves cool enough," says Iain Staffell at Imperial College London.
* High temperatures can also cause data errors in computer and telecoms equipment, known as "thermal noise."
* Metal cabinets used for telecommunications can get very hot on sunny days, but experts say the risk of widespread communications problems due to overheating is low.
* Climate change will lead to increasingly harsh conditions for UK infrastructure and essential technology, potentially causing billions of pounds in costs.
* Experts recommend adapting electrical equipment with improved ventilation, fans for cooling, or similar upgrades, as well as expanding the capacity of electricity networks to help cope with hot days.