Christmas Chaos LGW
Having worked in the design and construction of a number of major projects including major shopping centres, hospitals and Airport terminals I can assure you that it would be normal to undertake a detailed risk assessment and locate any back up plant so as to ensure it was not rendered useless ( for any reason) because of a reasonably foreseeable event like storm or flood, earthquake, fire etc. for this reason, locations like basements and roofs tend not to be ideal! A secure compound above the 1 in 200 year flood level with appropriate provision for further protection and which is easily accessible at all times would seem preferable to a below ground basement with inadequate pumping capacity. On this evidence can we assume LHR ( combined heat and power) power station is safe if any of the diverted rivers bursts it's banks? Remember the Mole valley and the potential risks associated with flooding were recognised in the LGW masterplan.