In developed countries, power outages or load shedding are rare occurrences. However, their progress in this regard did not happen overnight.
It is not entirely true that they have never faced inconveniences due to power disruptions. In 1965, New York City experienced a blackout for just 13 hours. That brief power outage taught American citizens many lessons, even inspiring a movie in its aftermath.
The film Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? portrays the unexpected disruptions and confusion caused by just a few hours of power failure.
One particularly poignant aspect of the movie is how the blackout made life unbearable for a couple named Margaret and Peter.
Exactly nine months after the incident, when Margaret gives birth, she is confronted with a question—where exactly was she during that pitch-dark moment of the blackout?
The implications of such doubts on married life are easy to imagine.
Once again, the world has witnessed the severity and distress that power failures can bring. On Friday, London’s Heathrow Airport was forced to shut down for an entire day due to a power outage.
The disruption extended beyond the airport, affecting train services in the surrounding areas. Reports indicate that the issue stemmed from a fire at the power substation supplying electricity to Heathrow.
Given that Heathrow is one of the world’s largest airports and closely connected to global travel, the impact of the blackout rippled worldwide, disrupting flight operations across multiple countries.
The critical question is, how did such an unfortunate incident occur at a renowned and prestigious airport like Heathrow? Such scenarios are typical in developing or underdeveloped countries.
In those nations, mismanagement is often the norm, and such disruptions might be considered “expected.” But how does one explain such an occurrence in a highly developed country like the United Kingdom?
How could an essential facility like Heathrow Airport not have an alternative power supply system in place?
Power failures and load shedding are frequent events in many parts of the world—common enough to be categorized as "dog bites man" incidents.
The management inefficiencies in developing nations have been evident in recent years, as seen in Sri Lanka. A small monkey once infiltrated a power station in the south of Colombo, triggering a massive blackout across the country.
The plight of people in such nations due to power outages is well known. These countries often neglect proper management in various sectors, leading to dire consequences. However, how did this mismanagement culture creep into the developed world?
Previously, a power failure affected an important mission of billionaire Elon Musk’s space venture, SpaceX.
The blackout disrupted ground control, compromising the mission’s operation and sparking global concern. Incidents like these are becoming increasingly common, even in developed nations.
In this situation, it is crucial to learn from events like the Heathrow blackout. In constructing, maintaining, and operating any infrastructure or institution, there must be proper coordination, management, strategic planning, and contingency measures.
These steps should be taken not just for regulatory compliance but for the sake of efficiency and reliability.
