Heatwave pushes wholesale electricity price to six-year high
The heatwave and demand for cooling are pushing the wholesale price of electricity in Belgium above 1,000 euros per megawatt-hour. The extreme heat is also affecting road surfaces and high-speed trains.
To secure electricity at 20:45 on Wednesday, a price of 1,038.25 euros per megawatt-hour must be paid on the wholesale electricity market. This is the highest price in many years.
Demand for electricity to power cooling systems has been driving up prices in the evenings for days. “Temperatures are continuing to rise, so demand for cooling keeps increasing. Price pressure is mounting across Europe,” says Matthias Detremmerie, an energy trader at Elindus.
Over the past few days, running air-conditioners has already led to the highest electricity price since 2022. Prices exceeding 1,000 euros per megawatt-hour have not been seen since 2020, Detremmerie say.
Prices are expected to rise even further on Thursday, due to forecast higher consumption and a lack of wind. Other factors are fuelling the surge, such as more expensive imports from France and the fact that nuclear power stations there are having to restrict their output due to high river temperatures.
The coming days could still be characterised by high wholesale electricity prices.
"Temperatures are continuing to rise, so demand for cooling keeps increasing. Price pressure is mounting across Europe"
The federal energy regulator, CREG, says the spike in wholesale prices has no impact on fixed and variable-rate electricity contracts. “People shouldn’t be afraid to switch on their air conditioning,” a spokesperson said.
“These are peaks observed in quarter-hourly figures,” they said. Households with dynamic contracts may be affected, but these account for less than 1 per cent of all contracts.
Meanwhile, railway manager Infrabel has decided to restrict speeds on the high-speed line linking Brussels to the French border due to the intense heat expected over the coming days. Trains will run at 170 km/h instead of 300 km/h from Thursday until to Saturday. Journey times on the Belgian section of the Brussels–Paris line will be extended by 12 minutes.
This restriction applies solely to the Belgian LGV 1 – the high-speed line. It is linked to a technical characteristic of the power supply cables. Like any metal component, the catenary is prone to expansion when exposed to high temperatures. This measure aims to prevent any incidents that might be caused by a slackened catenary cable.
The heat has also damaged the surface of around 20 regional roads and cycle paths, Flanders’ Roads and Traffic Agency reports. The damage is expected to increase in the coming hours and days. The agency says it is being particularly vigilant and responding swiftly.
At the same time, ongoing roadworks may be delayed as concrete cannot be poured when temperatures are too high and freshly laid asphalt needs to cool down for longer before traffic can safely use the road again. In some places, work will continue through the night.
People cool off in Brussels, 19 June 2026 © PHOTO NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
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