| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week 14:34 - Mar 24 with 1213 views | Steve_M |
Obviously there is a need to wait for a full investigation as this piece makes clear but it sets out the background rather well:
https://watt-logic.com/2025/03/24/heathrow-airport-blackout/
Infrastructure in this country really is threadbare in too many places and we seem unable to build new stuff efficiently. Hard not to see decades of "efficiency" measures and, more recently, the short-termism of the Treasury as not being at least contributory factors. |  |
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| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 14:58 - Mar 24 with 1101 views | Churchman |
Very interesting article. Threadbare infrastructure, lack of investment, no interest in doing anything about it throughout the country, not just critical places like Heathrow. It’s not really about building stuff efficiently. Even if they get vaguely interested in seeing anything built governments are only interested in doing on the cheap.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a computer system or a three times over priced rubbish PFI school building, the cheaper the better so we can say it’s done. Our Victorian forbears must be turning in their graves.
Here is the simple equation:
‘The Heathrow airport shutdown is expected to cost the airline industry about £60 – £70 million which is probably not far away from what it would cost to install enough backup generation to allow Heathrow to operate off grid for a day or two.’
All major airports have back up systems. There’s a reason for that. But not here - bit like Captain Rum in Blackadder not thinking a crew was necessary.
I think it has to be asked whether or not commercial flying in this third world country is actually safe, if they can’t even keep the lights on. |  | | |
| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 18:04 - Mar 24 with 925 views | Freddies_Ears |
Obviously, the burnt-out substation has not been repaired in just a few hours. Nat Grid said there were 2 other substations able to provide power, (hence, airport reopened the next day)which suggests that the contingency planning / risk management processes were totally inadequate. |  | | |
| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 08:26 - Mar 25 with 746 views | wischip |
We had a look at that substation on Google Street View the other day. Its right next to a road with 1 fence to scale. Now the whole world has seen how vulnerable the main power supply to Heathrow is, they'd better switch to another substation behind some serious security measures. |  | | |
| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 10:07 - Mar 25 with 689 views | Benters |
| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 18:04 - Mar 24 by Freddies_Ears |
Obviously, the burnt-out substation has not been repaired in just a few hours. Nat Grid said there were 2 other substations able to provide power, (hence, airport reopened the next day)which suggests that the contingency planning / risk management processes were totally inadequate. |
Spot on and when you have the power ( no pun intended) to be at Heathrow on £3m a year sleeping right through the troubles what hope you got? |  |
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| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 10:28 - Mar 25 with 662 views | Steve_M |
| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 18:04 - Mar 24 by Freddies_Ears |
Obviously, the burnt-out substation has not been repaired in just a few hours. Nat Grid said there were 2 other substations able to provide power, (hence, airport reopened the next day)which suggests that the contingency planning / risk management processes were totally inadequate. |
Yes, Heathrow's own prioritising of it's shareholders is definitely a contributory factor here. | |
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| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 11:50 - Mar 25 with 558 views | waveneyblue |
| Some informed and interesting thoughts here on the Heathrow incident last week on 10:28 - Mar 25 by Steve_M |
Yes, Heathrow's own prioritising of it's shareholders is definitely a contributory factor here. |
Thing is, it's not just Heathrow is it.
Most big businesses are now run to benefit the investors at a detriment to what they should be doing. The minute a business answers to external investors, then making a profit comes before absolutely everything. |  | | |
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