Nieuws
Tractebel supports the commissioning of Vilvoorde battery park’s first half in Belgium
ENGIE has officially started commercial operation of the first 100 MW/400 MWh of its battery park in Vilvoorde, Belgium. Tractebel is the Owner’s Engineer on this landmark sustainable project. Once the second half is completed by the end of the year, the entire 200 MW/800 MWh installation will be one of the largest battery energy storage systems (‘BESS’) in Europe.
Picture: ©ENGIE
This landmark project enhances the integration of renewable energy sources into Belgium’s energy system, and reinforces its resilience. Once fully operational, the battery park will store up to 800 MWh of electricity, sufficient to supply 96,000 households for a duration of four hours.
A little over a year after the first spade went into the ground at ENGIE’s site in Vilvoorde, all 320 battery modules have been installed, and half of them are now connected to the high-voltage grid. The other half will be commissioned by the end of the year, well ahead of schedule. The seamless realization of this project is the result of the combined expertise and strong collaboration between ENGIE, Tractebel, Laborelec, and our partners.
Pictures: construction site (©ENGIE)
Owner Engineer’s role
Tractebel’s experts, who began their mandate in 2023, are responsible for design review, site supervision, quality assurance and grid connection study. Tractebel’s Renewable & Batteries teams, together with partner Laborolec, are acting as Owner’s Engineer for client ENGIE Flexible Generation to carry out the following support activities throughout the implementation of the project:
- Review of design documentation as per ENGIE’s requests and defined at the start of the project: BESS, grid connection, connection to transmission substation, civil works, layout, electrical, instrumentation and control, and mechanical Balance of Plant (supporting components and auxiliary systems)
- Organization of the document management system
- Site supervision and activities
- Quality assurance (factory acceptance tests)
- Health and safety support during design review
- Grid connection study showing compliance of the plant to the grid code
Flexibility at the heart of ENGIE’s strategy for the energy transition
Flexible assets such as the Vilvoorde battery park are crucial for maximizing renewable potential and ensuring grid stability.
With the first series of batteries now operational in Vilvoorde, ENGIE is delivering part of the additional flexibility the electricity grid requires to balance supply and demand. The efficient construction of this battery park, alongside our substantial investments in other flexible and renewable energy solutions, demonstrates our commitment to providing scalable solutions that build a sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy system.
Vincent Verbeke
CEO of ENGIE Belgium
Congratulations to everyone involved in the successful commissioning of the first half of the Vilvoorde battery park. It demonstrates the expertise and collaboration of integrated teams, Tractebel & Engie, and all our partners including Laborelec. We are proud to support a project that strengthens Belgium’s energy flexibility and accelerates renewables’ integration. At Tractebel, we are committed to delivering innovative and competitive solutions for all electricity storage systems.
Denis Dumont
Chief Officer, Business Area Gas Energy and Nuclear & Country Leader Belgium, Tractebel
As the site in Vilvoorde offers further potential, an additional 100 MW/400 MWh of batteries could be installed in the near future. ENGIE submitted a permit application for this extension to the province of Flemish Brabant and a request for additional capacity to Elia. Subject to a positive outcome, ENGIE will make a final decision on this expansion by early 2026.
ENGIE is currently also building a second battery park in Kallo (100 MW/400 MWh), which will be operational by spring 2027.