Tens of thousands of Flemish people risk a fine for failing to register a home charging station. Anyone installing a private charging point for an electric car, for example, in the driveway or garage, has been required to report this to Fluvius since June 2021, just as this is mandatory when installing solar panels or a home battery.

Those who already used a charging point before June 2021 must also register it. Even if the employer has a charging station installed at home for an electric company car, the client is still responsible for registering it.

People ‘forget’ to report

Today, more than 70,000 private charging points in Flanders are registered with Fluvius. However, in reality, the number of home charging stations is twice as high, but people often ‘forget’ to report them. People who do not register their home charging point with the grid operator risk an administrative fine of 117.68 euros.

The 2.95 million digital meters in Flanders provide Fluvius with a clear overview of electricity consumption and enable the grid operator to estimate whether a charging station is being used.

‘Not intended to control’

According to Fluvius, the mandatory registration is “not intended to control”, but to determine where the electricity grid is heavily loaded and where investments may be necessary in the future. “Charging stations place an additional burden on the grid. Registering allows us to avoid problems, now or in the future,” Fluvius explains.

The sector federation EV Belgium understands that registration is important for Fluvius “to be able to anticipate changes in electricity demand, peak loads, and local grid impacts. “But users who invest in the energy transition would be better off receiving maximum support than being discouraged.”