Fluvius starts final phase of digital meter rollout and informs RAI premium customers
Grid company Fluvius is starting the final phase of the digital meter rollout in Flanders, which will run until mid-2029. At the same time, 20 000 solar panel owners will this week receive guidelines to apply for their retroactive investment premium (RAI) on time. In this way, customers who will not receive a digital meter until early 2026 due to necessary renovation works will not lose their premium.
Conversion last 20% digital meters with preparatory visits
In early 2026, Fluvius will start with the installation of the last 20% digital energy meters in Flanders, representing some 1 250 000 meters for electricity and gas combined. Among this group of customers who do not have solar panels, there are proportionally more older connections. And these often require additional renovation work, ranging from limited interventions to total renewal. That is why this project will continue until mid-2029, more spread out over time than in previous years.
The works will be carried out by Fluvius' own technicians and contractors. But 3 additional contractors will also be brought in: DigiQS, TEAPlus and 3DM. All technicians will have the necessary skills to carry out this kind of work. Where necessary, we plan preparatory visits to determine exactly what renovation works are needed. All affected customers will receive a personal invitation for this.
RAI premium to be applied for at least in December
At the beginning of 2025, 403 000 houses, flats and small businesses with solar panels still had to get a digital meter. They could still enjoy a reprieve until the end of '24 but were then gradually converted. In the past 11 months, 345 000 of those customers have already been converted. And in the coming months, some 58 000 more customers will have their turn.
This includes 20 000 customers who had their solar panels installed between 2014 and the end of 2020 and are still entitled to a retroactive investment premium. For an average installation, that amount is between 1,000 and 2,000 euros. Because the premium can no longer be applied for after 31 December 2025, Fluvius treats those customers as a priority. This year, 150 000 premium applications have already been processed by Fluvius.
Specifically for homes where Fluvius can no longer install the digital meters this year due to necessary renovation works, Flemish Energy Minister Melissa Depraetere provides time until 31 March 2026. Specifically, these are situations where additional adaptation works are needed, for example to the connection cable or the meter box. Those customers must already apply for their premium in December, even though they will not be fitted with a digital meter until early 2026. This week, Fluvius will send a personal message to all prosumers who may be eligible. A large part of that group will obviously still be visited in December.
80% already converted
In total, digital meters for electricity and gas have already been installed today in 80% of Flemish homes, flats and small businesses, accounting for 2.95 million electricity meters. Among solar panel owners, the share is 89%, with 925 000 customers.
More info is at: www.fluvius.be/digitalemeter.
Lara Lammens