Jonathan Leake

London

Journalist specialising in energy, environment, climate and science. Currently energy editor at the Daily Telegraph, London.

Articles

Miliband's clean power goal branded a 'fantasy' after wind project axed

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Jonathan Leake

The Danish company also cited increased "execution risk", suggesting it underestimated the difficulty of installing the planned 180 giant turbines. Hornsea 4 benefited from government subsidies known as contracts for difference that guarantee a certain level of income after a project is built.
Cause of Heathrow fire unknown despite six-week investigation

1 week ago | ca.finance.yahoo.com | Jonathan Leake

The cause of a substation fire which triggered the shut down of Heathrow airport remains unknown despite a six-week inquiry, according to an interim report. A preliminary report by Britain’s energy system operator said forensic work was still under way into the incident which saw 270,000 passengers stranded in March. However, it added that police had “found no evidence to suggest that the incident was suspicious in nature”.
Cause of Heathrow fire unknown despite six-week investigation

1 week ago | sg.finance.yahoo.com | Jonathan Leake

Jonathan Leake Thu, 8 May 2025 at 3:17 am GMT-4 2 min read Around 1,300 flights were cancelled following the fire which happened just before midnight on March 20 - Matthew Muirhead/AP The cause of a substation fire which triggered the shut down of Heathrow airport remains unknown despite a six-week inquiry, according to an interim report.
Heathrow blackout ‘linked to 60-year-old electrical device’

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Jonathan Leake

Chaos at Heathrow was triggered after decades-old equipment filled with flammable oil caught fire, the first report into the disaster has found. The blaze that shut down Heathrow airport in March began in a 57-year-old electricity transformer at the North Hyde substation, investigators discovered. It then spread to a second transformer next to it before a third, newer transformer then overloaded and cut out.
Cause of Heathrow fire unknown despite six-week investigation

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Jonathan Leake |Christopher Jasper

The cause of a substation fire which triggered the shut down of Heathrow airport remains unknown despite a six-week inquiry, according to an interim report. A preliminary report by Britain's energy system operator said forensic work was still under way into the incident which saw270,000 passengers stranded in March. However, it added that police had "found no evidence to suggest that the incident was suspicious in nature".
Britain’s biggest North Sea operator slashes 250 jobs after windfall tax raid

1 week ago | ca.finance.yahoo.com | Jonathan Leake

One of the UK’s largest oil and gas producers has been forced to cut 250 jobs in Aberdeen, blaming the Government’s windfall taxes for making the Britain’s energy industry unprofitable. Harbour Energy, which operates in the North Sea, said a review of its operations would lead to the loss of 250 onshore roles – equal to 25pc of its workforce.
Britain’s biggest North Sea operator slashes hundreds of jobs after tax raid

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Jonathan Leake

One of the UK’s largest oil and gas producers has been forced to cut 250 jobs in Aberdeen, blaming the Government’s windfall taxes for making the Britain’s energy industry unprofitable. Harbour Energy, which operates in the North Sea, said a review of its operations would lead to the loss of 250 onshore roles – equal to 25pc of its workforce.
Britain's biggest North Sea operator slashes hundreds of jobs after tax raid

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Jonathan Leake

A government spokesman defended the windfall tax, saying: "The Government has reformed the energy profits levy [windfall tax] to support investment and give industry certainty and stability.
Massive North Sea wind farm development halted over soaring costs

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Jonathan Leake

Mr Errboe said the Hornsea 4 project had suffered "several adverse developments" since it secured the contract in September 2024 including rising supply chain costs, higher interest rates, and "an increase in the risk to construct and operate Hornsea 4 on the planned timeline for a project of this scale."He added: "These developments have increased the execution risk and deteriorated the value creation of the project.
Low winds leave south of England reliant on French power

1 week ago | ca.finance.yahoo.com | Jonathan Leake

Southern England has been left reliant on French power after low winds curtailed domestic energy supplies. More than half of the electricity used in the South East was imported on Tuesday morning, according to data from the National Energy System Operator. The bulk came from France, alongside imports from Belgium and the Netherlands. Similarly, the North East also imported 52pc of its electricity, largely from Norway, as wind power contributed to just 2pc of the region’s power.