As Belgium's electricity demand continues to grow, anticipating future grid capacity has become a strategic priority. The Hosting Capacity Map (HCM) is a key planning tool developed by Elia to indicate how much additional electricity demand and generation can be connected to the Belgian transmission grid. By providing transparent and up-to-date information on available grid capacity, it supports investment decisions, facilitates new grid connections, and contributes to Belgium's energy transition.

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Context and challenges - ensuring reliable grid capacity information in a rapidly evolving energy system

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The value of the Hosting Capacity Map relies on the quality and robustness of the data behind it. Every month, large volumes of information from multiple systems and stakeholders must be collected, consolidated, and processed to provide an accurate representation of the grid's available capacity. 

 

As new data sources emerge, including new connection requests, new grid studies, and multiple Distribution System Operators (DSOs), maintaining an efficient update process becomes increasingly challenging. Fragmented data management, duplicated information, and growing forecasting needs can affect both operational efficiency and the quality of planning decisions.

 

To continue supporting transparent grid planning and future network development, Elia sought to enhance the reliability, efficiency, and automation of the HCM update process while building a more scalable and traceable data ecosystem.
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Our approach - improving data management and forecasting capabilities

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Our mission was to strengthen both the reliability of the Hosting Capacity Map and the efficiency of the processes behind it.

 

At Slo, we contributed by:

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• coordinating the agile delivery of the project as Scrum Master while supporting the broader grid development digital transformation programme

• optimising data management, storage, and traceability to improve consistency and reduce duplication across the data ecosystem

• integrating and aligning multiple internal and external data sources, converting contractual data into technical debt and capacity assumptions for use in the network model and forecasting processes

• developing analytical models and scenarios to improve grid capacity forecasting using Python and advanced data analysis techniques

• supporting the automation of recurring processes to make monthly updates faster, more reliable, and less resource-intensive

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Beyond technical improvements, our role was to help establish a robust data foundation capable of supporting increasingly complex planning decisions.

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Results and impact - enabling faster and more reliable grid planning

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The project significantly strengthened the efficiency and robustness of the Hosting Capacity Map update process.

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Some key achievements include:

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• reducing the monthly update cycle in half through process automation

• improving data quality, storage architecture, and traceability while reducing data redundancy by a factor of three

• coordinating data integration across multiple sources, strengthening consistency and scalability of the data ecosystem

• enabling faster, more reliable, and data-based decisions for future grid planning and infrastructure investments

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These improvements contribute directly to accelerating grid development, a critical enabler of Belgium's energy transition.

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Building a resilient electricity system also means turning growing volumes of data into reliable insights. Better grid planning helps connect new customers and industries on time, meeting evolving electricity needs, supporting the electrification of the Belgian economy, and delivering value to society as a whole.