Molly Ayala
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has suffered several power outages in recent years, affecting thousands of passengers and causing flight cancellations and delays. In one instance, a fire caused a power outage that also took out the backup power supply. The airport has since struck a deal with Georgia Power to lease generators to prevent future outages. While temporary power is usually supplied by diesel-powered generators, Atlanta Airport had no backup generators at the time of the outage. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has offered grants to improve electrical resilience at airports, and selected airports have taken steps to enhance their electrical infrastructure.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Power Outage | 17th February 2024 |
| Cause of Power Outage | Fire |
| Backup Power Available | No |
| Power Restoration Time | Midnight |
| Impact | Cancellation of 1,593 flights and delay of 735 flights |
| Cost of Power Outage | $50 million |
| Location | Between gates B24 and B36 |
| Reason for Backup Power Unavailability | Backup power supply was also impacted by the fire |
| Future Plans | The City of Atlanta and the airport have decided to lease generators from Georgia Power |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
A fire caused the power outage
On Sunday, December 17, 2017, a fire in an underground electrical facility caused a complete power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport. The fire damaged two substations serving the airport, including the airport's backup power system, leading to a full blackout.
The fire started in an underground electrical facility where the airport's electric system is located. The exact cause of the fire was not immediately known, but it was speculated that it could have been due to a piece of switchgear equipment failure. The fire's intensity prevented crews from immediately accessing the tunnels to restore power.
The power outage disrupted air travel across the United States, with a ground stop in Atlanta causing the cancellation of over 1,000 flights and affecting tens of thousands of passengers. The outage cut power in the terminals, leaving passengers stranded in the dark as they stood in line at gates and security checkpoints.
It took until midnight for utility workers to restore power to all terminals, and the airport continued to experience delays and cancellations into the next day. This power outage highlighted the importance of electrical resilience in airports and the need for effective backup power systems.
Electric Sheep and Android Dreams: Exploring Existentialism
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Backup power supply was also affected
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport experienced a power outage on 17 December 2017, which caused a ripple effect that impacted businesses across the country. The power outage knocked out the equipment that airlines use to check in and seat passengers, causing thousands of passengers to be stranded in darkness. The cause of the blackout was not immediately known, but it was later discovered that an airline contractor had drilled into a power line. Alternate equipment was turned on, but many parts of the airport, including businesses in every terminal, were disabled.
The backup power supply was also affected by the fire, which meant it could not kick in after the initial power outage. This is particularly unfortunate given that most airports have backup diesel generators that can supply ample electricity for as long as necessary, provided they have enough fuel. In the case of Atlanta Airport, there were no backup generators to keep the lights on, which resulted in the cancellation of 1,593 flights and delays for 735 more.
The cost of the power outage was estimated to be around $50 million. Following the incident, the airport and the City of Atlanta agreed to lease generators from Georgia Power at a cost of $120 million. However, it is worth noting that this is simply a Band-Aid solution, as the US continues to fix its old airports rather than investing in new technology and infrastructure.
To prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has offered grants to airports to improve their ability to withstand power outages. This includes funding for projects such as the Energy Supply, Redundancy, and Microgrids Program, which can help airports generate power onsite and deliver electricity via microgrids.
Electric Green Glow Jordans: Do They Light Up?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Power was restored within a few hours
Power outages at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have caused travel chaos on more than one occasion.
In December 2017, a power outage caused the cancellation of thousands of flights and disrupted the travel plans of millions of passengers. The power outage occurred just before noon and lasted for almost 11 hours, with power being restored at midnight. The cause of the blackout was not immediately identified, but it knocked out the equipment that allowed airlines to check in and seat passengers.
In another incident, on 2 October 2023, an airline contractor drilled into a power line, cutting off the electricity supply between gates B24 and B36. However, power was restored within an hour, and all impacted gates and concessionaires were operational again.
The Atlanta airport is not alone in experiencing power outages. According to a survey by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), 24 out of 30 major airports experienced a power outage between 2015 and 2022. To enhance electrical resilience and minimize future disruptions, airports have taken various actions, including conducting electrical infrastructure assessments, improving electrical infrastructure, and installing backup power generation systems.
Despite these efforts, the electrical infrastructure at American airports remains outdated and susceptible to design issues and aging infrastructure. As a result, power outages at airports can have a significant ripple effect, impacting not just passengers but also businesses across the country.
Hydronic Baseboard Heaters: Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Hundreds of flights were cancelled
On 17 December 2017, a power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport, led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights. The power outage started with a fire in an underground electrical facility, causing a blackout that lasted nearly 11 hours. The outage affected all airport operations, leaving thousands stranded in dark terminals and on planes sitting on the tarmac.
Southwest Airlines cancelled all operations in and out of Atlanta for the rest of the day, while United and American Airlines also suspended operations to and from Atlanta for the remainder of Sunday. Delta Air Lines, which is headquartered in Atlanta, cancelled more than 900 flights on Sunday and 300 flights on Monday, most of which were inbound morning flights.
The power outage had a significant impact on air travel across the United States. Many flights in the air were diverted when the power went out, and international flights destined for Atlanta were rerouted to other airports. The disruption caused by the power outage extended beyond Atlanta, affecting flights in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities.
In a more recent incident in 2024, a global software outage caused by an update to CrowdStrike's Falcon software affected multiple software companies, notably Microsoft, causing massive failures. This outage led to the cancellation or delay of thousands of flights worldwide, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport among the affected airports.
The Green Way to Dispose of Electric Toothbrushes in Australia
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The airport handled the situation professionally
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports. In 2023, a fire caused a power outage that affected thousands of passengers and had a ripple effect on businesses across the country. Despite the challenging circumstances, the airport handled the situation professionally.
The power outage knocked out the equipment that airlines use to check in and seat passengers, causing significant delays and cancellations. A total of 1,593 flights were cancelled, and 735 suffered delays, affecting an estimated 2.5 million passengers and costing around $50 million.
The airport kept passengers informed throughout the outage. They took to Twitter to announce that power was out between gates B24 and B36, and about an hour later, they provided an update that power had been restored and all impacted gates and concessionaires were operational.
While the airport did not have backup generators at the time, they have since leased generators from Georgia Power, investing $120 million to improve their ability to withstand power outages.
The Atlanta Airport power outage brought to light the need for American airports to invest in new technology and infrastructure. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has offered grants to airports to improve their electrical power resilience, and it is encouraging to see that Atlanta Airport has taken steps to enhance its electrical resilience, ensuring that similar incidents can be mitigated in the future.
Washing Your Silentnight Electric Blanket: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, as of midnight on the day of the outage, the power was restored.
The power outage was caused by a fire at the airport.
No, the fire also took out the backup power supply.
The power outage knocked out the equipment that allowed airlines to check in and seat passengers. Thousands of passengers were left in the dark, and multiple airlines had to divert their international flights to other cities.
The airport and the City of Atlanta have since struck a deal with Georgia Power to lease generators to prevent future outages.
