Engie to expand EV charging network in Wallonia
Electric Mobility Infrastructure, a subsidiary of the French company Engie, has won a tender to install 1,650 charging points for electric vehicles in municipalities across Wallonia. The announcement was made on Friday by Walloon Mobility and Infrastructure minister François Desquesnes.
The exact locations of the stations, each equipped with two charging points, will be finalised in the coming weeks in consultation with the 245 participating municipalities. Half of the network is expected to be operational within a year, with the remainder to follow the year after. The company has committed to operating the infrastructure for ten years.
The energy component of the price will be uniform across all stations, although the final price per kWh may vary depending on grid costs and taxes. A guide price of 48 cents per kWh is being used. A previous government analysis showed that prices charged by other providers in Wallonia range between 30 and 60 cents per kWh.
Catching up
Wallonia has long lagged behind in charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Belgium is among the leading European countries in terms of charging points per inhabitant, with more than 100,000 public charging points. However, the majority of these are located in Flanders.
The tender won by Engie is the first step for Wallonia to catch up. Further action is required, as Belgium plans to double the number of public charging points to approximately 220,000 by 2030 to support the growth of electric vehicles.
© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY
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