In Wallonia, access to power capacity has become a central issue for economic redevelopment. Industry, mobility, heating, digital technology: usage is rapidly electrifying and pressure on the grids is increasing.
Given this reality, action is needed fast.
It is unacceptable for economic, industrial or energy projects to be delayed due to insufficient grid access, when Wallonia is precisely trying to attract investment, create jobs and strengthen its competitiveness!
That is precisely the point of the reform driven by Walloon Minister for Energy Cécile Neven. The Walloon Government has adopted, at first reading, a preliminary draft decree on access to the grids and their development. The goal: to stop suffering blockages and instead organise concrete, fast and structural solutions.
The reform rests on three levers.
First, better distribute the available capacity, so that grid access meets the real needs of the territory and is not monopolised by a single type of project.
Next, make better use of the existing grid, notably through flexible connections. When a connection risks creating congestion, the aim will no longer be to respond with an outright refusal, but to propose a tailored solution.
Finally, better anticipate future needs. Grid adaptation plans will now cover ten years, up from five currently, with an update every two years.
For Cécile Neven, the stakes are high:
“Anticipating the saturation of the electricity grids and resolving existing congestion points is a major challenge for Wallonia. It concretely determines our ability to host projects and drive our industrial redevelopment, as well as the electrification of our usage and the success of the energy transition. With this decree, we intend to reform the framework in a structural and forward-looking way. The goal? Flexibility, prioritisation and anticipation. Access to energy and power capacity must be compatible with the economic future we want for Wallonia.”