Fluvius’ mobile substation ensures a reliable power supply during grid reinforcement works in Mechelen
This week, Fluvius is deploying a ‘mobile substation’ for the first time. This is a portable, fully equipped installation capable of temporarily taking over the power supply for an entire neighbourhood. The blue container has been situated on Frans Halsvest in Mechelen, close to the River Dijle, since this summer, and will soon take over the power supply for around 10,000 households and businesses.
This will enable Fluvius to thoroughly modernise and reinforce the permanent substation, whilst minimising the risk of power cuts during the works. A substation is a key hub in the electricity grid. From there, electricity is distributed to homes, businesses and other connections across the wider area.
Growing demand for electricity
More and more households are switching to electric cars, heat pumps and solar panels. And many businesses are switching to electricity instead of fossil fuels. That is why Fluvius will be reinforcing large sections of the electricity grid over the coming years. By 2032, this will cover around 40 per cent of the Flemish electricity grid, comprising 30,000 kilometres of cables. A large number of switching stations will also need to be upgraded.
“We need to provide extra capacity whilst continuing to ensure a reliable electricity supply,” says Pieter Vermeersch, site coordinator at Fluvius. “Until now, with major refurbishments of this kind, we often had to devise temporary solutions. With this mobile substation, we now have, for the first time, a facility that can take over the functions of a full substation. This allows us to carry out the work with the least possible impact on the reliability of the grid.”
Switchyard in need of renewal and reinforcement
The switchyard on Frans Halsvest has been in operation since 1996 and supplies power to 74 distribution cabinets. The switchyard currently lacks sufficient space for further expansion. Furthermore, it contains components that are due for renewal.
That is why Fluvius is thoroughly modernising and reinforcing the switchyard. Among other things, it will be fitted with a new digital control system, modern safety systems and extra capacity to facilitate future expansion. The works will continue until the end of 2026.
Mechelen as a test case
The mobile switchyard goes beyond the emergency containers that Fluvius previously deployed during incidents. This installation has been specifically designed to temporarily take over the functions of a complete switchyard. The compact installation is fully equipped with the necessary technical components and safety features, enabling it to be connected at various locations.
If the approach in Mechelen proves successful, Fluvius intends to deploy the mobile substation at other locations where the grid needs to be upgraded or reinforced. This will enable the network operator to modernise the electricity grid smoothly, with as little disruption as possible to local residents and businesses.
Eef De Vos