Business
Business

Airport’s planned overnight power outages will begin Tuesday

Lights, escalators in the domestic terminal will be off for a few hours overnight on July 8-9, 14-15.
In this December 2017 photo, passengers feel the effects of a massive power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as they endure long lines to claim baggage and ride shuttles. (Bob Andres/AJC)

Credit: Bob Andres

Credit: Bob Andres

In this December 2017 photo, passengers feel the effects of a massive power outage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as they endure long lines to claim baggage and ride shuttles. (Bob Andres/AJC)
By Emma Hurt
July 7, 2025

Plans to test Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s emergency lighting system are back on this week after officials scrubbed their original schedule last week because of July Fourth passenger volumes.

The tests, which will affect the domestic terminal’s lighting, escalators, elevators and major terminal systems like baggage claim, are set to happen between the hours of 11:59 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, July 8
  • Wednesday, July 9
  • Monday, July 14
  • Tuesday, July 15
ExploreHow AI is revolutionizing ATL’s international terminal

The testing is part of a long-term effort to upgrade the airport’s electrical systems and “achieve 100% electrical resilience.”

They will be postponed in case of “irregular airport operations,” according to a new release.

Since a disastrous 2017 power outage that shut Hartsfield-Jackson down for 11 hours, the airport has been working toward building an entire redundant power system.

About the Author

As a business reporter, Emma Hurt leads coverage of the Atlanta airport, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Norfolk Southern and other travel and logistics companies. Prior to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she worked as an editor and Atlanta reporter for Axios, a politics reporter for WABE News and a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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