National Grid boss says Heathrow could have stayed open despite substation fire

A huge fire knocked the North Hyde substation offline on Thursday night. Heathrow’s subsequent closure affected at least 200,000 passengers around the world. Photograph: Maja Smiejkowska/PA

There was enough power for Heathrow to remain open during the entire period it was shut down on Friday, the head of National Grid has said.

Speaking for the first time since a fire forced North Hyde substation to close, the National Grid chief executive, John Pettigrew, said two other substations that served Heathrow were working and could have supplied the airport with all the power it needed to remain open.