New environmental permit for the Mercator-Bruegel project

On 15 June this year, an appeal by local residents prompted the Flemish Council for Permit Disputes (Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen) to quash the permit issued for the reinforcement of the Mercator-Bruegel high-voltage line. 

This brought to a halt the works between Buggenhout and the Bruegel high-voltage substation in Dilbeek. However, Elia was allowed to continue to work on the area between the Kruibeke and Buggenhout high-voltage substations.

On 23 September 2023, Elia was granted a new permit for the project. It welcomes this development and stresses the importance of the Mercator-Bruegel project as a key link for our electricity supply. After all, the connection, which forms a central axis through our country, must ensure the integration of renewable offshore energy and the interconnection with foreign countries. The increasing use of heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicles and the high demand for electricity from our companies necessitate such reinforcements in order to make the grid future-proof.

This autumn, Elia will be continuing work on reinforcing the Mercator-Bruegel high-voltage line.

• This autumn, Elia will continue works between Kruibeke and Buggenhout, and also may start pylon assembly.

•  Elia will resume work between Buggenhout and Dilbeek, and will continue with the foundation works of new pylons and the necessary reinforcements.

• The pulling of the conductors will be completed by early November, after which the site accesses will be removed.

You can see the progress of the works on our interactive map.