Major power cut in Brussels knocks out TV and radio transmission

Following a power cut that affected the Brussels communes of Etterbeek, Evere, and Schaerbeek, hundreds of homes were left without power for over seven hours. The French-speaking public broadcaster RTBF had to interrupt their television programmes because their emergency generators failed to start up. In RTBF’s broadcast centre in Reyers, Brussels fire engines rescued employees trapped inside the elevators of the building. At the Dutch-speaking public broadcaster VRT, the power failure was successfully resolved with emergency generators.

The power cut, which occurred at 12:16 on Wednesday, April 6, particularly affected Boulevard Auguste Reyers, Avenue Eugène Plasky, Avenue Rogier, Place Meiser, and Boulevard Léopold II, according to energy operator Sibelga.

The problem turned out to be at a high-voltage substation in the vicinity of the Josaphat Park. This substation in turn supplies electricity to about thirty power cabins, according to a spokesperson for Sibelga. The distribution network manager speaks of an accumulation of technical problems. The spare cable of the high-voltage substation was also hit, which should continue to guarantee the power supply in the event of problems.

At 17:15, Sibelga reported that 8 out of 10 connections had regained power. At 19:30, the problems had been completely resolved and everyone had power again.

(KOR)

Picture shows the transmission tower of Dutch-speaking public broadcasting company VRT and French-speaking public broadcasting RTBF in Brussels, Belgium © BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY