Decision or not?
Jambon will be joined by several ministers from the Flemish government. Hilde Crevits, Zuhal Demir, Ben Weyts and Bart Somers are also present. The Jambon government failed to reach an agreement in July about where the high-voltage line should be: above ground or underground.
In July, it was announced that additional consultations would be held with the mayors of the municipalities along the route. No decision is expected today, but a meeting where views are shared. A decision will follow later this month.
What is Ventilus again?
The new high-voltage line of Ventilus cuts right through our province: from Zeebrugge to Avelgem. There will be a second zone with wind farms, off the West Coast. But the current high-voltage grid does not have the capacity to take on that current again.
That is why a new line is needed, which at the same time also serves as a back-up for the Stevin line, which also brings electricity to land from the sea. About 20 kilometers would come above ground along the E403 highway.
Above or below ground?
But this new line has been met with protest in a number of municipalities for years. Farmers, residents, mayors and companies are not a fan of an overhead power line.
Action groups want it underground, because they believe there are major health risks otherwise. They will also protest “peacefully” in Bruges tomorrow. The report by researcher Filip Vanaeken from Meulebeke is also one of the file documents that will be included in the consultation. According to him, an underground line is perfectly feasible.