Power outage at Heathrow airport 'fault of National Grid'

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband ordered an urgent investigation into the power outage that caused the UK's busiest airport to close earlier this year, following a major fire at a power substation.

LBC's been told that the final report is expected to point the finger of blame at the grid operator, according to industry sources who have seen it.

It will demand urgent reforms and upgrades to the ancient grid system, some of which are already being pushed through by government in a bid to increase capacity as the UK moves towards Net Zero.

Heathrow is also expected to be criticised in their handling of the saga, despite a previous report saying they'd done the right thing by shutting the airport.

An initial report commissioned by Heathrow into the saga, led by former Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, had found that the chief executive of Heathrow airport was asleep at home when the decision to shut the airport was taken.

Senior staff tried to wake Thomas Woldbye with calls and messages but he could not be reached.

But the report concluded that the decision to suspend flights was the right one, and was essential to protect safety and security of passengers.

An interim report from NESO, the National Energy Security Operator, said that the cause of the North Hyde Substation fire, remains unknown.

Government sources were confident there had not been a cyber attack at the time, but no cause has yet been determined.

More than 67,000 were left without power after the fire at the substation back in March, and  270,000 journeys disrupted from the airport.

Heathrow Airport has been approach by LBC for comment.