Elia, the transmission system operator of Belgium’s high-voltage grid, has reached an agreement with Flemish Energy Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) on increased compensations for residents living near Ventilus. That is the future high-voltage line that will bring electricity from offshore wind farms to Belgium and beyond.

West Flanders mayors of the villages involved are reacting with mixed feelings to the agreement as they still notice a lot of anxiety among residents who fear the impact of magnetic radiation on their health.

The perimeter increased from 35 to 100 m

The agreement concerning Ventilus, a 380 kV high-voltage line with a capacity of 6 GW, increases the perimeter in which people can voluntarily sell their homes or building lots to Elia from 35 to 100 meters. Those who choose to stay can receive compensation of up to 25% of the home’s value, depending on the distance. Possibly 190 families are affected.

A regulation will also allow Elia to buy land from companies or farmers to build the high-voltage pylons. If the company does not want to sell, this can also be arranged with a right of building or easement. That amount, at 25% of land value, is highest for those within 35 meters of the line. It decreases to a minimum of 2,5% for those between 125 and 200 meters. Interestingly, these higher fees will henceforth apply to all new or reinforced high-voltage lines, writes the newspaper De Tijd.

In addition, the Community and Landscape Integration Fund will also be strengthened for investments in the quality of life in the municipalities concerned. Elia will increase the amount per kilometer of high-voltage line eightfold, to 12 million euros. The Flemish government is paying 38,5 million euros.

Some 147 kilometers of existing lower-voltage overhead lines will disappear simultaneously as the new high-voltage project.

Still a lot of anxiety

On the one hand, several West Flanders mayors are happy that there is an agreement but still notice a lot of anxiety among residents. “Especially the conditions for companies worry them,” says Ledegem mayor Bart Duchy (CD&V). “For example, the impact must already be so great on the company or the expansion of a company that the continuation of business activities is no longer possible. Surely, that is a heavy condition.”

The mayor of Wingene, Lieven Huys (CD&V), is bothered by the compensation through a fund for local governments. “That fund can then be used by local councils, for example, to install green screens near the high-voltage lines to reduce visual nuisance. I don’t think that’s our job. Flanders should do that itself there and not pass the hot potato to local governments.”

Both mayors stress that they are still against the overhead and favor an underground high-voltage line. “A lot of objections are being filed now. I suspect it will be a procedural battle of years. Maybe technology will still catch up with us, and an underground line can still come”, Huys says. To be clear, the public inquiry continues until 27 October.

Voka satisfied

Business association Voka, on the other hand, says that with the agreement, an “important hurdle has been taken in the realization of this crucial infrastructure project for energy supply and transition.”

Managing director Hans Maertens considers it “a good thing that there is clarity on the amounts and the method of determining individual compensation amounts.”

Voka will also actively help to detail the compensation policy for companies further. The Ventilus works would typically take three years.