Elia

TSO - Belgium

Publication info

Status of publication Published
Link to website https://www.elia.be/en/customers/connection/grid-hosting-capacity
Accessibility Open
Regional Scope Country
Spatial granularity Nodal (per substation)
Operator voltage level scope >= 30 kV
Timeline for which HC is provided Y+2, Y+6
Information format Map + table
Categories of grid users considered Generation, demand, and storage
Type of grid connection capacity information Available; Reserved; Allocated; Pre-reserved
Availability of API Not provided
Update Cycles Monthly, yearly
Available language National language(s) + others including English
Additional information Two levels of update frequency: - Yearly: full reference grid & reference context (load & production market hypotheses) are updated at the end of each year. - Monthly: reserved/allocated capacities (considered present by the map) are updated each month. The time of the latest update is mentioned on the web page.

Hosting capacity assessment

Capacity type considered for hosting capacity information Firm and flexible
Description of what firm capacity means and the aspects that structure the definition A firm connection is a connection for which injection to, and/or offtake from the transmission grid cannot be limited under the contractually defined firm capacity, within the bounds defined within the conditions of the connection contract.
Description of the methodology that leads to firm capacity results The firm capacity represents the maximum installed capacity that, when multiplied by the considered injection/offtake profile(s), is available for all 100 reference situations.
Description of what flexible capacity means and the aspects that structure the definition A flexible connection is the connection under conditions, determined within the connection contract, that allows the limitiation of injection to, and/or offtake from the transmission grid.
Description of the methodology that leads to flexible capacity results Capacities for firm & flexible connections are published, for: - 0% flexibility (firm connection) - <= 5 % flexibility - <= 10 % flexibility - <= 20 % flexibility This flexibility represents the forced curtailment of the new grid user, that would be necessary to mitigate violations of steady-state & 15-min grid element ratings, only for violations that are significantly worsened by the grid user. The percentage refers to the average annual percentage of curtailed energy, with respect to the selected profile.
Description for the criteria and methodologies used that lead to the published information The computation evaluates the impact of new grid user connections on the following static criteria:
  • Steady-state (>15 min) grid element loading in N and N-1 states
  • Short-term (<15 min) grid element loading in N-1 state
  • The evaluation is performed for 100 reference situations that are representative of an average climate year.
Dynamic criteria, as well as voltage and short-circuit constraints, are evaluated at the connection request.
Main assumptions/disclaimers behind calculations The methodology remains the same per technology, but distinct hypotheses are applied. The hypotheses differ in terms of the evaluated profile, as well as the considered pre-reservations (assumed present to anticipate the future energy mix and evolutions that do not follow the classical procedures for reserving capacities):
  • Classical production: A flat injection profile (1 p.u.) is evaluated. All pre-reserved capacities are considered.
  • Classical offtake: A flat offtake profile (1 p.u.) is evaluated. All pre-reserved capacities, except those representing non-residential classical offtake, are considered.
  • Onshore wind: A market injection profile (0–1 p.u.) is evaluated. All pre-reserved capacities, except those representing onshore wind, are considered.
  • Solar photovoltaic (PV): A market injection profile (0–1 p.u.) is evaluated. All pre-reserved capacities, except those representing non-residential solar PV, are considered.
  • Battery: Both a flat injection profile and a flat offtake profile are evaluated. The worst-case result is shown in the map. All pre-reserved capacities, except those representing batteries, are considered.
Disclaimers:
  • Legal validity of information: The published information is legally non-binding. A formal connection request must be filed to reserve or acquire connection capacity.
Technical scope:
  • Approximation of the remaining available connection capacity for nominal capacities <300 MW.
  • Higher capacities cannot be estimated without a location-specific analysis carried out in the context of the formal connection request process.
  • The connections on LV grids (<1 kV) are not impacted by the published information.
Hypotheses:
  • Grid evolution: In line with the infrastructure portfolio known at the time of computation
  • Grid users’ evolution: In line with the reservations and allocations known at the time of computation
  • Market conditions: In line with the global (federal) reference context (result from a market study) used as a basis for the computation. Market conditions are not re-evaluated during computation.
  • Technical connection criteria: Specific constraints resulting from short-circuit currents and voltages are not taken into account.
  • Socioeconomic aspects: Spatial, permitting, and connection bay constraints are not taken into account.
  • Interdependence of hosting capacities: The published capacities are valid for one location at a time.
Additional information By involving multiple time horizons in the computations, the following evolutions are considered:
  • Grid infrastructure, according to the infrastructure portfolio known at the time of computation
  • Known grid users (installed/reserved/allocated capacities), according to a best-estimate timing of changes to their contractually available capacity
  • Unknown grid users (pre-reserved capacities), according to a best-estimate timing of global (federal) evolutions in the energy consumption and the energy mix

Additional information for connection request and hosting capacity information

Publication status for connection request procedure https://www.elia.be/en/customers/connection/get-connected-to-our-grid
Available options for the investors if the map shows 'no capacity available' in their interested area The map offers an indication. The possibility and conditions of a connection are an outcome of the formal grid connection procedure.
Connection request rules First-come-first-serve
Information published for volumes of connection requests/waiting lines Published
Granularity of published connection requests/waiting lines An aggregated total of reserved/allocated/pre-reserved capacities for Belgium, per technology, as well as a visual showing the regional distribution of this total.
Additional information Connection request procedure available at https://www.elia.be/en/customers/connection/get-connected-to-our-grid

Relevant references/Links/Additional material

Disclaimers, boundaries, and calculation methods

https://www.elia.be/-/media/project/elia/elia-site/company/legal-framework/legal_framework/belgium/gridstudymethodology_versiondec2024_en.pdf

Connection request process

https://www.elia.be/en/customers/connection/get-connected-to-our-grid

Auxiliary documents

https://www.elia.be/en/customers/connection/get-connected-to-our-grid

Legal references

https://www.creg.be/nl/professionals/toegang-tot-het-net/creg-gedragscodes

Contact point for hosting capacity information

hostingcapacitymap@elia.be

Contact point for connection requests

https://www.elia.be/en/customers/connection/get-connected-to-our-grid

Belgium overview