In the heart of the Ghent port area, a crucial link in Flemish-Dutch industry, Elia is starting construction of a new high-voltage substation this year: Baekeland. This project marks an important milestone in the region's energy transition.

The station, which will handle a voltage of 380/150kV, will be strategically located between the coast and the ports of Ghent and Antwerp. This will make it an essential hub in Belgium's electricity backbone. Preparatory work on the 15-hectare site has now been completed. The first substations are scheduled to come into operation in 2030.

Baekeland will provide the port of Ghent and surrounding industries with access to a more robust and sustainable electricity grid. Among other things, this means better connection to green electricity from the North Sea, which will significantly accelerate electrification and CO₂ reduction in the region.

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