Brugel, the Brussels energy regulator, has outlined the framework and timeline for a comprehensive reform of distribution network tariffs. Notably, Brussels has opted for a model of its own that differs from those in Flanders and Wallonia.

While Flanders bases its billing exclusively on your peak power (kW), regardless of when you consume it, Wallonia uses a voluntary time-block system, and Brussels has opted to introduce a three-part time-of-use rate.

The transition will take place in 2 phases: an increase in the capacity charge in 2028, followed by the introduction of the three-part time-of-use rate in 2030.

Anyone who drives an electric car or uses electric heating will have to adjust their habits anyway.

The capacity component will carry more weight on the bill

The reform of grid rates – the portion of the electricity bill that covers the costs of managing and maintaining the power grid – will be implemented in phases, precisely to give consumers time to adjust.

Starting in January 2028, the capacity component will be increased based on available power in kilovolt-amperes (kVA). In other words, from that point on, you will no longer pay based on the level of your actual peak consumption – as is the case in Flanders – but rather based on the size of the line that the grid operator must reserve for you.

Most apartments and houses in Brussels have a standard connection of around 9,2 kVA. That is more than enough for a typical family – an average family rarely exceeds 4 to 5 kW at peak times (in practice, 1kVA is almost equal to 1 kW). For such a standard connection (up to 13 kVA), you pay a fixed, low base rate of about €47 per year for capacity charges.

Starting in 2028, however, the price per kVA reserved for you will have a greater impact on your bill. For example, if you have a high-capacity connection of 22 kVA – perhaps because you have a very fast charging station or a large heat pump – you’ll end up paying significantly more than someone with a modest 9,2 kVA connection, even if you rarely use that full capacity.

Those with a larger connection currently pay €94,48. However, starting in 2028, this system will be refined to a fixed amount per kVA (calculated in 1 kVA increments, with a possible minimum of 2,3 kVA).

For EV owners, this means they would be wise to choose a smart charging station with dynamic load balancing on a standard connection, rather than upgrading to an 11 kW or 22 kW connection.

3 time zones instead of 2

Starting January 1, 2030, the second phase of the distribution network rate reform will take effect, eliminating the traditional day/night rate for distribution costs.

Currently, 2 electricity rates apply in Brussels: a day rate – the so-called peak-hour rate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. – and the night rate, the cheaper off-peak rate from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The off-peak rate also applies throughout the weekend.

Instead, there will be 3 consecutive rate periods that apply every day, including weekends and holidays: from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. is the day (standard rate); from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. is the evening peak (the grid is at maximum capacity; this will be the most expensive period), and finally, the third block from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. is the nighttime period (the off-peak or grid-relief rate).

The adjustment aims to reduce the amount of electricity Brussels residents use simultaneously. “Because people charge their cars after work, among other things, and more people are using electric heating, Brussels residents need more electricity,” Brugel explains. “So, there’s more demand, which is why we need to spread it out more.”

However, charging during sunny hours of the day can still be financially advantageous through an energy supplier’s dynamic energy contract, but that is separate from the grid rates set by distribution system operator Sibelga.

Smart meters are the key

An important caveat, however, is that under current privacy regulations, the news 3-tiered hourly rate system set to take effect in 2030 will not automatically apply to everyone. Only households with a remotely readable smart meter and who have explicitly consented to sharing their quarter-hourly data will be covered by this system.

Households with a traditional analog meter or those who refuse to participate in data sharing will remain on a flat-rate or traditional rate plan. The new capacity charge set to take effect in 2028, on the other hand, will apply to everyone, although sharing rules may still evolve by 2030.

At first glance, it might seem unfair that someone with an old, analog meter “gets off scot-free” when it comes to those new time zones in 2030, but those without a smart meter also miss out on several benefits.

With an analog meter, for example, you can never manage your energy usage intelligently to take advantage of the cheapest hours for charging your EV or running your heat pump.

You also can’t sign up for a dynamic contract where you buy electricity at current market prices, which can sometimes even be negative when the wind is blowing hard or the sun is shining brightly. And if you have solar panels and an analog meter, you can’t sell your excess electricity to your utility, nor can you share it with, say, your neighbors or family.

In any case, by the end of 2030, virtually all analog meters in Brussels must be replaced with smart meters. Furthermore, Sibelga has already explicitly asked policymakers to amend Brussels legislation so that the transmission of anonymized or specific meter data for grid management is permitted by default, precisely to prevent the system from becoming unworkable or unfair.

And what about the specific impact on EV drivers?

Those who don’t have a heat pump, EV, or home battery will hardly notice the reform. For EV drivers with their own charging station, however, things will have to change.

An EV that travels 15,000 km a year consumes about 2,500 kWh. This quickly doubles the electricity consumption of a Brussels household. If we look at current grid rates – with a daytime rate of approximately 5,72 ct/kWh versus a nighttime rate of approximately 3,43 ct/kWh – consistently charging an EV at night results in savings of about €46 to €57 per year in grid costs.

Although these are not exact predictions for 2030, they show that, in practice, the financial incentives will be measured in tens rather than hundreds of euros.

The benefits of Smart control can be even greater if energy providers also adjust their rates accordingly. For example, charging during the day’s sunny hours can remain financially attractive under a dynamic energy contract.

For those who rely on public charging stations, the impact is indirect. Sibelga bills the charging station operator for the grid rates It is up to that operator to decide whether to pass these time blocks on to the end user, for example through lower nighttime rates.

Furthermore, the current reform applies only to low-voltage connections (up to 56 kVA). Larger fast-charging stations are subject to other regulations that are still under review.

The exact rates will also not be set until after 2 in-depth impact studies by Brugel: the first in 2027 (for the capacity rate) and the second in 2029 (for the hourly rates).

Note: For an average Brussels household, with a median consumption of 1,702 kWh and an average consumption of 2,104 kWh per year, annual grid costs currently amount to about €217 and €254. The reform, therefore, affects only a relatively small portion of the total energy bill.