Publication T1.1.2_The Flemish Energy Market_ Generation – retail and regulation
The Flemish energy market is a traditional liberalised market with the typical stakeholders as shown in Figure 1. It allows competition in both electricity generation and energy supply. The Flemish energy market supplies 300 municipalities and has 3.5 million electricity connections [1].
The energy suppliers have two main roles: (1) ensuring that end users (both households and companies) receive energy and (2) bill electricity usage. In Flanders, customers can freely choose their electricity supplier. Most of the energy suppliers in Flanders are not electricity producers; instead, they buy their electricity from a producer or on the power markets. The Belgian electricity market is still dominated to a high extent by Electrabel/Engie (GDF Suez) for both generation and supply. However, its market position for supply has fallen recently, in Flanders. Other key generating companies operating in Belgium include EDF and E.ON. In the supply sector, in addition to Electrabel/Engie, some of the large players include EDF, Eni and Lampiris.