Belgian power output in September drops to 4,021 GWh, lowest since 2008

Lowest output in nearly two decades

Electricity production in Belgium fell in September 2026 to 4,021 gigawatt hours (GWh), according to federal economy statistics published at the end of October. That is the lowest monthly volume since the series began in 2008, placing the drop at the bottom of nearly 20 years of records. The decline leaves Belgium heavily dependent on electricity from neighbouring countries.

Two reactors offline for maintenance

The main cause is the maintenance shutdown of Doel 4 and Tihange 3, the two remaining nuclear reactors in Belgium. Neither produced electricity from early April, and both returned to operation only a few weeks before the figures were released. Wind generation was moderate in September, while solar output began to decline ahead of autumn. Together these factors kept domestic supply thin during the month.

Net imports climb

During the first half of 2026 Belgium imported 18.7 TWh of electricity and exported 6.2 TWh, a net import balance of 12.5 TWh, according to the same figures. The ministry says imports since April have reached the highest level recorded since the statistical series began in January 2008. Since April, net imports have run at around 2 TWh per month.

Imports18.7

Exports6.2

Imports

18.7 TWh

Exports

6.2 TWh

Data from the article text

Most of the imported power came from the Netherlands and France. Belgium also became a net importer relative to Germany and the United Kingdom, which is rare for the country.

What the figures cover

The half-year import and export totals cover January to June 2026, while the output figure of 4,021 GWh covers September alone. The two datasets therefore describe different periods and should be read separately. The September figure is the monthly total reported by the statistics, and it arrived as the country moved into the autumn months with weaker solar output.