Demir furious about 82 euros more expensive electricity bill in 2025 due to grid investments

The Flemish energy regulator VREG has prepared a proposal that will make electricity grid rates 82 euros more expensive for an average family next year. Flemish minister Zuhal Demir reacts furiously.

Because the high-voltage grid operator Elia and the Flemish distribution grid operator Fluvius are investing billions in strengthening the grid, it looks like the power bill for households and companies will increase next year.

The Flemish energy watchdog VREG developed a proposed tariff methodology for the period 2025-2028. This predicts an increase in electricity grid rates next year. For an average family, the network rates will increase by 82 euros (+23%) compared to 2024.

Half of the increase can be attributed to the sharp increase in Elia network rates that had already been knocked down, now that the high-voltage grid operator is fully investing in strengthening the grid. The rest of the increase (43 euros) is the result of the investments that Fluvius is making to prepare the Flemish distribution network for the arrival of more solar panels, electric cars and heat pumps.

In the VREG proposal, on which the sector is now being consulted, the biggest jump will occur next year, but electricity grid rates will continue to rise in the following years. While an average family will pay 363 euros this year to use the electricity grid, those rates will rise to 445 euros in 2025 and to 471 euros by 2028.

Barely a few minutes after the VREG announced its proposal, Flemish Energy Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) reacted furiously in a press release. “Such an increase in the electricity bill is completely unacceptable and is at odds with the decline in the Flemish policy component in recent years,” says Demir. ‘I expect everyone involved to take the social impact of their decisions into account. If the new proposals lead to a higher electricity bill, this will also complicate the energy and climate transition.’

Demir takes the opportunity to argue for Flanders to join Fluvius, ‘where local authorities are the only shareholders who are currently thinking more about dividends than about the energy transition’.

Pieterjan Renier, the CEO of the VREG, emphasizes that Fluvius is faced with major investments in the electricity grid to make the energy transition possible. ‘Fluvius must have the necessary financial space to make these investments in a timely manner,’ he says. ‘This will lead to higher network rates in the coming years. We are aware that energy is an important expenditure item for households and businesses, so we are careful to keep this increase to a minimum.’