10 June 2021

Solar eclipse has limited impact on Belgian grid

A solar eclipse cast a shadow over large swathes of Europe on 10 June 2021. The generation of solar electricity in Belgium dropped by 15% during the eclipse. As the share of renewable energy in Belgium's energy mix continues to grow, natural phenomena such as solar eclipses and storms can impact Elia’s power grid.

• On Thursday 10 June, a solar eclipse cast a shadow over Belgium between 11:16 a.m. and 1:25 p.m.
• The growing proportion of solar and wind power in the energy mix requires Elia to anticipate the impact of natural phenomena such as eclipses and storms on the power grid.
• The impact of the eclipse on the Belgian grid was minor and the management of the grid was kept perfectly under control.
• Federal Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten visited the Elia control centre to learn how it handles unusual situations such as Thursday’s eclipse.

Given our preparation in the lead-up to the eclipse (with stakeholders from across the electricity industry), its impact was well managed. Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten visited our National Control Centre in Brussels on the day in question to find out how we handle unusual situations of this nature.

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Marleen Vanhecke

Head of Communication & Reputation Elia Group

marleen.vanhecke@elia.be

mobile: +32 486 49 01 09

office: +32 2 546 71 32

Press releases

• Solar eclipse has limited impact on Belgian grid

  PDF - 408.91 KB
• L’éclipse solaire passe sans problème pour le système électrique belge

  PDF - 398.17 KB
• De zonsverduistering is zonder problemen verlopen voor het Belgische elektriciteitssysteem

  PDF - 334.43 KB

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