Ghent port prepares for electrification with 400m euro investment
Grid operator Elia is investing 400 million euros to prepare the port of Ghent for a sharp increase in electricity demand. The rise is expected as industrial companies modernise production and as steelmaker ArcelorMittal considers switching to electric steelmaking.
To support this transition, construction has begun on a new 380/150 kV high-voltage facility along the R4 East ring road in Ghent. The installation is designed to become a key node in the electricity network, providing enough capacity for the further electrification of the port and surrounding industry.
Electrification is a key part of the European Commission's Clean Industrial Deal, which aims to "turn decarbonisation into a driver of growth for European industries". The port of Ghent aims to become climate-neutral by 2050. It is home to steelmaker ArcelorMittal, which is Belgium's biggest CO₂ emitter.
Strategic network upgrade
Construction of the high-voltage facility began on Monday, in the presence of Annick De Ridder, the Flemish minister for Ports. “This is a strategic network upgrade for the port of Ghent,” she said. “Without this infrastructure, companies cannot become more sustainable, and new investments will not materialise.”
According to Frédéric Dunon, CEO of Elia Transmission Belgium, forecasts show that electricity demand in the port area will rise sharply in the coming years. “Not only because of large industrial projects, but also because many smaller companies will require additional capacity in the coming years,” he said.
Electric steelmaking
ArcelorMittal Belgium is currently the first confirmed user of the new infrastructure. The steel producer has signed a contract for a direct connection to the 380 kV grid, expected to be operational by 2030.
"Investing now would result in a negative return, given the current market"
This connection is required for the steelmaker to switch to producing steel in electric arc furnaces. However, the group’s international management has not yet formally approved investment in the ovens.
In November, Frederik Van De Velde, the CEO of ArcelorMittal Belgium, said that the company was not yet ready to carry out the 2 billion euro investment it had announced in 2021. "Investing now would result in a negative return, given the current market," he said.
The new high-voltage facility will increase capacity on the 150 kV network by 40 per cent. The project, which is being built on a 15-hectare site, is intended to strengthen the long-term security of the electricity supply for the port of Ghent and the wider region.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO AND VIDEO JONAS D'HOLLANDER
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