What is congestion on TSO’s electricity grid?
Grid congestion occurs when there is not enough capacity on the transmission network to transport all the electricity that is needed at a given moment, while maintaining system security.
A simple way to understand this is to think of a highway: when too many cars try to use the same road at the same time, traffic slows down or even stops.
The same happens on the electricity grid: when too much power flows through certain lines, bottlenecks occur.
This congestion is increasing due to the rapid growth of renewable energy, new electricity needs (such as electrification, data centers, and energy storage units), and the mismatch between where electricity is produced and where it is consumed.
To keep the system stable, TSOs must act either ahead of time or in real time through redispatching (preventive or curative), production limitations (curtailment), and more broadly through the activation of market-based or contractual flexibility.
How did Avertim contribute to managing grid congestion?
Avertim’s contribution spans both upstream regulatory and operational aspects, as well as downstream financial and transactional components.
1. Making better use of existing grid capacity
As grid capacity becomes scarce, it is crucial to avoid situations where capacity is reserved but not used, like empty lanes on a busy highway.
Avertim helped turn new regulatory rules into concrete operational practices to ensure a more efficient and fair use of the grid. This included:
- Translating regulation into clear operational processes
- Improving tools to monitor and manage capacity reservations
- Aligning systems, data flows, and reporting
- Supporting teams in adopting new ways of working
This enables TSOs to better anticipate congestion and ensure that available capacity is used where it is most needed.
2. Managing the impact on renewable energy producers
In some cases, energy production must be temporarily reduced to relieve congestion, similar to limiting access to a busy road to avoid gridlock.
In Wallonia, producers of renewable energy (solar and wind) affected by these limitations are entitled to financial compensation. Avertim supports TSOs in implementing this system by:
- Interpreting and clarifying regulatory requirements
- Coordinating data exchanges between TSOs and distribution system operators
- Developing tools to calculate and automate compensation
This ensures a fair and transparent system for renewable energy producers.
What is next?
Grid congestion will remain a major challenge in Belgium as electrification and renewable energy continue to grow. Addressing it will require continued innovation, both in how the grid is operated and how it is regulated.
Avertim aims to support TSOs in this transition by delivering practical solutions that improve how congestion is anticipated, managed, and communicated, helping to keep the electricity “traffic” flowing smoothly.
Harold Loop & Charles Verhaegen
Lead Consultants at Avertim
