Blocked industrial zones, projects on hold: the Minister of Energy is further strengthening her response. A group of experts and researchers has been set up. The objective? To identify innovative technical solutions without delay to unblock new connections and boost the capacity of the electricity grid in the short term.
In Wallonia, electricity transmission and distribution grid operators can no longer keep pace with the infrastructure reinforcements needed to meet new connection requests. As a result, saturated grid zones are multiplying across the territory, while the heavy investments required in new lines, cables and transformers cannot be deployed everywhere in the short term.
In addition to flexible connection contracts, which grid operators can offer following the recent vote on the flexibility decree, and two operational task forces, the Walloon Minister of Energy, Cécile Neven, is further strengthening her response. A working group dedicated to innovative solutions has now been launched. The objective: to identify, within a very short timeframe, concrete and operational actions that can be implemented from 2026 to increase grid capacity and thus allow more businesses and projects to connect more quickly.
This working group will bring together experts from grid operators, government representatives, and academics. Among the confirmed names is Professor Damien Ernst (ULiège). Together, the participants will analyse concrete use cases, primarily in the most critical zones, and propose technically and financially realistic solutions. Solutions deemed relevant will be assessed for their deployment potential across the Region.
The work will be organised in two stages, with an initial analysis phase leading to recommendations, followed by the development of an operational action plan. It will be carried out on a voluntary, unpaid basis, in a spirit of responsibility and rigour in the use of public funds.
A structural reform is also being prepared. It will make it possible, on one hand, to better manage waiting lists and access to power capacity across the territory, and on the other hand, to better anticipate Wallonia's economic and energy needs.
"We need to quickly increase grid capacity to unblock projects, support our businesses and support the energy transition," says Cécile Neven, Minister of Energy. "The participants in this working group, whom I thank, will help us go further and faster in identifying concrete and operational solutions. Our objective is clear: to guarantee lasting access to electrical power capacity across the territory."