Was Heathrow's response to fire at a substation really the best it could do? We need answers

The 10-page risk report within Heathrow's latest annual report does not mention North Hyde substation, or even substations in general, but it does describe the company's approach to managing risks.

- Nils Pratley

The 10-page risk report within Heathrow's latest annual report does not mention North Hyde substation, or even substations in general, but it does describe the company's approach to managing risks. Heathrow rightly has "no appetite" for safety risks that could lead to loss of life. "Robust controls and contingency measures" are also in place to contain potential security, environmental and legal breaches within "minimal levels of impact". But then one comes to operational matters, the category in which last Friday's events would fall.

"The business accepts that absolute operational, system and infrastructure resilience is impossible," it starts, adding vaguely that it will work to mitigate impacts "within the risk/return balance set by the company".

In summary: "In the pursuit of its objectives, Heathrow Airport is willing to accept, in some circumstances, risks that may result in some financial loss or reputational exposure."

So one question is whether Heathrow regarded the risk of closing the entire airport for a day in response to the loss of power from a single substation as one of those things that would simply have to be taken on the chin.