FAQ

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The results show that there are a few periods when Belgium will have to import electricity to cover all its demand. Fortunately, the Belgian grid is part of a larger European system reaching from Portugal to Ukraine. Furthermore, Elia and its fellow transmission system operators abroad, along with the energy exchanges, have set up a market platform for transparent electricity purchases and sales over an area encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the Scandinavian countries.

This means that the Elia grid can import up to 3,500 MW in the winter, although of course it is the task of the suppliers to buy this electricity outside Belgium, while Elia’s role is to take care of its transmission.

In case of a major cold snap (drop in temperatures) throughout Europe, combined with little wind and sunshine, the demand for electricity – and therefore its consumption – is likely to rise across Europe, especially in countries like France, which uses electricity for heating to a greater extent than other countries.

Moreover, in the absence of wind and sunlight, the power generated by wind and photovoltaic energy will be insufficient. Also if generation units in Belgium and other European countries were to break down, the situation could become critical, particularly in very cold periods.

If everyone made a few simple gestures and smart changes, this would help us cut our energy consumption:

• Switch off appliances that are in standby mode; extinguish lights in unoccupied rooms; lower the temperature by 1°C, etc.;
• Changing our habits can also help to cut energy consumption without lowering our level of comfort (postponing some electricity consumption by running washing machines or dryers or doing the ironing during off-peak periods).

By taking these few measures, anyone can cut or postpone their power consumption at critical times (between 6 and 8 p.m.) and thereby help to avoid extreme events like power cuts.

Naturally, institutions and companies can also make a contribution by implementing the same recommendations. Awareness-raising campaigns launched by the respective authorities and taken up by the media will effectively underpin and encourage such voluntary reductions in power consumption.

To find out more, visit the website www.readyforwinter.be.

Selective load shedding enable consumption to be drastically reduced at critical times (for instance when winter consumption is at its height, between 6 and 8 p.m.) by depriving some consumers of their power supply. This is done to maintain the balance between generation and consumption in Belgium when the available supply of electricity is insufficient to meet everyone's needs. So what is the ultimate objective? To avoid a major imbalance that would lead to the collapse of the Belgian and European grids, causing a blackout.

Decisions about which types of consumers are first to have their power supply cut are based on legal provisions geared towards causing the 'fewest possible consequences' (rural areas being the least densely populated places with the fewest traffic lights and lifts, etc.) and considerations about which groups of consumers have priority with respect to retaining their power supply (hospitals, Seveso companies whose shutdown could have a negative impact on the public, strategic installations, airports, major conurbations, etc.).

In extreme cases, the authorities will alert the official authorities in the affected areas. Elia will pass on any relevant information.