In the heart of the Ghent port area, a crucial link in the Flemish-Dutch industry, Elia will this year start the construction of a new high-voltage substation: Baekeland. The project marks a major 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 node in the Belgian electricity backbone. Preparatory works on the 15-hectare site have now been completed. The commissioning of the first substations is scheduled for 2030.

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