Operations at Heathrow Airport are back on track after a major power outage caused by a fire at a London electricity substation.
The incident, which grounded flights and left thousands of passengers stranded, has prompted an urgent government investigation into the cause of the disruption.
The power failure affected over 200,000 travelers and forced airlines to cancel more than 1,300 flights on Friday alone. Despite efforts to restore normal operations, around 100 additional flights were scrapped as airlines struggled with displaced aircraft and crew.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has ordered the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to conduct a full investigation into the outage. He stressed the need to understand what went wrong and ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future. The government is using its Energy Act powers to launch this review in collaboration with energy regulator Ofgem.
The London Fire Brigade is currently examining the electrical distribution system at the substation, while the Metropolitan Police have stated that they are not treating the fire as suspicious. Investigators are focusing on determining the exact cause of the failure that led to the widespread disruption.
Adding to the travel chaos, the Heathrow Express train service has announced further disruptions. Due to planned railway upgrade work, there will be no service before 9:12 AM on Sunday, March 23, causing additional delays for passengers.
Despite official statements that Heathrow is now “fully operational,” more than 30 flights have still been canceled, leaving travelers frustrated. While the immediate crisis has passed, the investigation’s findings will play a key role in shaping future measures to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure and prevent a similar breakdown.