Overview
- Eurostar has amended its Alstom contract to specify air conditioning and onboard systems that operate up to 55°C for as many as 50 Celestia double‑decker trains at a package cost reported near €2 billion/£1.7 billion with delivery scheduled from 2031 and use into the 2060s.
- The company activated its seasonal 'solstice' heat‑response plan earlier than usual and told customers they could rebook affected journeys free of charge while reporting roughly one in ten services has seen heat‑related delays or breakdowns in recent weeks.
- Europe’s power networks are under strain as the National Energy System Operator issued an Electricity Margin Notice warning of tighter evening peak supplies without immediate risk of cuts and EDF warned that warm river water may force temporary reductions at some nuclear reactors.
- This summer’s high temperatures have pushed parts of France and the UK above 40°C and fuelled wildfires in southern Europe, raising demand for cooling and increasing risks to rails through track overheating and equipment failures.
- Operators across transport and energy are moving from short‑term fixes to long‑term resilience planning, a shift that raises near‑term costs but aims to reduce mid‑century service losses and cross‑border supply risks as heatwaves become more frequent.