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| National Grid confirms Heathrow had power access during shutdown | National Grid confirms Heathrow had power access during shutdown |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The chief executive of the National Grid has confirmed power was available to keep Heathrow open throughout Friday's shutdown. | |
| In an interview with the Financial Times, John Pettigrew said the fire that knocked out a substation was a "unique event", but that two other substations remained operational and capable of powering the airport in west London. | In an interview with the Financial Times, John Pettigrew said the fire that knocked out a substation was a "unique event", but that two other substations remained operational and capable of powering the airport in west London. |
| Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye had said on Friday that the shutdown was not caused by a lack of power, but was due to the time it took to switch from the damaged substation to the other two. | Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye had said on Friday that the shutdown was not caused by a lack of power, but was due to the time it took to switch from the damaged substation to the other two. |
| The airport is under pressure from airlines to explain why flights were suspended for 18 hours after the fire in the early hours of Friday morning. | The airport is under pressure from airlines to explain why flights were suspended for 18 hours after the fire in the early hours of Friday morning. |
| The fire started in a transformer within the electrical substation in Hayes north of Heathrow around midnight. | The fire started in a transformer within the electrical substation in Hayes north of Heathrow around midnight. |
| The airport has emergency back-up power supplies, which use diesel generators and batteries, but these only keep crucial safety systems running, such as landing equipment and runway lights. | The airport has emergency back-up power supplies, which use diesel generators and batteries, but these only keep crucial safety systems running, such as landing equipment and runway lights. |
| A separate biomass power generator also provides heat and electricity to Terminal Two. | A separate biomass power generator also provides heat and electricity to Terminal Two. |
| However, the National Grid is the main source of power for Heathrow. | However, the National Grid is the main source of power for Heathrow. |
| Mr Pettigrew told the Financial Times said he couldn't remember a transformer failing to such an extent in his 30-year career in the industry. | Mr Pettigrew told the Financial Times said he couldn't remember a transformer failing to such an extent in his 30-year career in the industry. |
| "Losing a substation is a unique event but there were two others available. That is a level of resilience." | "Losing a substation is a unique event but there were two others available. That is a level of resilience." |
| Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Pettigrew pointed to the power from two other substations as a "level of resilience" in the infrastructure | |
| A Heathrow spokeswoman said that Mr Pettigrew's comments "confirms that this was an unprecedented incident and that it would not have been possible for Heathrow to operate uninterrupted. | A Heathrow spokeswoman said that Mr Pettigrew's comments "confirms that this was an unprecedented incident and that it would not have been possible for Heathrow to operate uninterrupted. |
| "Hundreds of critical systems across the airport were required to be safely powered down and then safely and systematically rebooted," she said. | "Hundreds of critical systems across the airport were required to be safely powered down and then safely and systematically rebooted," she said. |
| "Given Heathrow's size and operational complexity, safely restarting operations after a disruption of this magnitude was a significant challenge." | "Given Heathrow's size and operational complexity, safely restarting operations after a disruption of this magnitude was a significant challenge." |
| On Friday, Heathrow managers decided to close the airport on the grounds of safety while they switched to the alternative National Grid supplies. | On Friday, Heathrow managers decided to close the airport on the grounds of safety while they switched to the alternative National Grid supplies. |
| Mr Woldbye told the BBC the delay to reopening was due to the need to "reallocate" the power supply - "closing down and restarting systems which takes a long time." | Mr Woldbye told the BBC the delay to reopening was due to the need to "reallocate" the power supply - "closing down and restarting systems which takes a long time." |
| He said there were a "number of systems we have to shut down and then bring them back up and ensure they are safe." | He said there were a "number of systems we have to shut down and then bring them back up and ensure they are safe." |
| "It's fuelling systems, its bridges, it's escalators, all of these systems have to be brought back up, tested to ensure they are safe." | "It's fuelling systems, its bridges, it's escalators, all of these systems have to be brought back up, tested to ensure they are safe." |
| He added that there were risks "of certain sizes we cannot guard ourselves against 100% and this is one of them." | He added that there were risks "of certain sizes we cannot guard ourselves against 100% and this is one of them." |
| However the duration of the shutdown has infuriated airlines. | However the duration of the shutdown has infuriated airlines. |
| Willie Walsh, the former British Airways boss and head of the airline organisation IATA said it was a "clear planning failure by the airport" and the systems and procedures for handling power failures are now under the spotlight. | Willie Walsh, the former British Airways boss and head of the airline organisation IATA said it was a "clear planning failure by the airport" and the systems and procedures for handling power failures are now under the spotlight. |
| The government's ordered a six-week investigation into the shutdown, led by the National Energy System Operator. | The government's ordered a six-week investigation into the shutdown, led by the National Energy System Operator. |
| Mr Woldbye, who attracted criticism for claiming the airport had "come back quite fast", said he was "happy" to answer to the prime minister. | Mr Woldbye, who attracted criticism for claiming the airport had "come back quite fast", said he was "happy" to answer to the prime minister. |
| A timeline of the Heathrow Airport distruption | A timeline of the Heathrow Airport distruption |