Belgium and Netherlands Commission Brabo III High-Voltage Line in Antwerp
The new Brabo III high-voltage line has been officially commissioned in the port of Antwerp, with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten attending the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday. The €300 million infrastructure project, developed by grid operator Elia over more than a decade, strengthens the electricity network around Belgium’s largest industrial cluster and increases cross-border power exchange capacity with the Netherlands by 30 percent, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.
A Decade-Long Project Reaches Completion
The Brabo project, named after the legendary figure from Antwerp folklore, was launched by Elia in 2016 and consists of three phases. Brabo I strengthened the network between Doel and Zandvliet from 150 kV to 380 kV, while Brabo II added five new 150 kV cable connections and upgraded the line between Zandvliet and Liefkenshoek. Brabo III, the final phase, involved replacing 58 masts over an 18-kilometer overhead line between Liefkenshoek and Kruibeke, according to VRT NWS.
The project’s most striking features are two 192-meter-high pylons at the Kallosluis, among the tallest in the Benelux region. The upgraded line now carries 380 kV, enabling 20 percent more transport capacity for the port area and a 30 percent increase in electricity flow between Belgium and the Netherlands, as NOS reported.
Energy Security in an Uncertain World
Both prime ministers framed the project within the broader context of European energy security. De Wever called the high-voltage line “a new artery for our industry,” emphasizing that “the electrification of our industrial processes depends on infrastructure.” He stressed that cross-border infrastructure is “extremely important for both countries.”
Jetten echoed this sentiment, noting that “European countries must take much more care of their own energy. That has rapidly become a security issue in recent years.” He added that while the Brabo III project may not have started as a security initiative, “in today’s world it is an important element.”
Bernard Gustin, CEO of Elia Group, highlighted the broader significance: “The stronger Belgium and the Netherlands are connected, the less dependent we are on external shocks in the energy market.” He also pointed to future needs, noting that “new investments will remain necessary. Think of data centers: that’s why we must prepare today for tomorrow.”
Powering the Industrial Transition
The Antwerp port is Belgium’s largest electricity consumer and home to the world’s second-largest petrochemical cluster, including major companies such as BASF and Ineos. As industries transition from fossil fuels to electrification, electricity demand in the port region is expected to double within a decade, according to Solar & Storage Magazine.
Valerie Daloze, project manager at Elia, explained the importance of interconnection: “Thanks to interconnections you can count on your neighbors. If the wind in Belgium blows less than in Germany, you can use a strong European network to let energy flow from Germany to Belgium.” This creates a larger market where supply and demand can be better matched, helping to keep prices under control and withstand peaks and fluctuations.
New Collaboration Announced
At the inauguration, Elia and Dutch grid operator TenneT signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen the existing electricity connection between Kinrooi in Belgian Limburg and Maasbracht in the Netherlands. The companies will replace the conductors with higher-capacity ones on the 12-kilometer cross-border line, with final commissioning planned for 2035, as VRT NWS reported.
Carolien Pouleyn, spokesperson for Elia, emphasized the geopolitical dimension: “Certainly in this geopolitical context, energy independence is a very important topic. By having strong neighbors — and with the Netherlands we are that — we become less dependent on fossil fuels that come from outside the European Union.”
What to Watch For
The Brabo III commissioning marks a significant milestone in Belgium’s grid reinforcement efforts, but the work is far from complete. Elia is already preparing for the Ventilus project, which will bring electricity from new offshore wind farms ashore and significantly strengthen the grid in West Flanders. With electricity demand expected to surge across Northwest Europe, cross-border infrastructure investments like Brabo III are likely to become increasingly central to the region’s energy strategy.