Public consultation on the revision of the Connection Contract

Context

The current Connection Agreement dates back to 2009, and a number of changes have required a thorough revision.

In February 2024, Elia submitted a first proposal for consultation, which generated numerous comments from market players.

In May 2024, Elia submitted the contract to the regulators for approval. In September 2024, Elia withdrew its revision proposal in order to incorporate the regulators' additional comments.

Most of these comments have been taken into account in this new version, and it is on this basis that Elia is now launching a new consultation.

The original reasons which led Elia to launch the consultation remain unchanged:

1. Changes in the regulatory context :
   Since the current Connection Contract was set up, European codes have been introduced and Belgian legislation and regulations have changed significantly.
2. Emergence of new concepts :
   In parallel with the evolution of regulations, new technical and market realities have materialized, requiring the adaptation of certain articles and terminology. These include concepts such as: Storage, Delivery Points, LFDD.
3. Evolution of working methods:
   Over the same period, new ways of working developed, such as the increased digitization of documents, calling for a transformation in the way the Contract appendices are organized, or the management of equipment maintenance, generating a redefinition of the maintenance options in the Contract.

More specifically, this iteration was aimed at (non-exhaustive list):

• Adaptation of terminology
• Updated references to the legislative texts used
• LFDD & CDS concepts adapted on the basis of feedback

• Taking into account specificities relating to flexible capacity provisions per Access Point, and flexible active energy in the appendices.

Consultation Period

Elia invites all stakeholders to submit their comments and suggestions on the document submitted for consultation. 

The consultation period runs from February 20 to March 31, 2025.

After the consultation period, Elia will collect all comments and reactions from market players. Elia will analyze these comments and incorporate them into a consultation report, including Elia's responses. In addition to the consultation report, Elia will publish the market participants' reactions (including names) on the website, unless it is explicitly stated that the contribution is to be considered confidential.

The connection contract will then be submitted to the relevant regulatory authorities for approval.