Flanders’ capacity tariff: read your monthly peak before you change anything

Since 2023, part of the Flemish electricity network charge no longer depends only on how many kilowatt-hours you use, but on how much power you draw at the same time. Many households know the term “capacity tariff”; far fewer have looked at their own peak. That is a good place to start before investing in new equipment.

What is actually measured

Your digital meter records consumption per quarter of an hour. The monthly peak is the highest average power you drew from the grid during a single quarter-hour of that month, expressed in kW (Vlaamse Nutsregulator).

Two consequences are often misunderstood:

• It is a quarter-hour average, not an instant. A 9 kW appliance running for five minutes in an otherwise quiet quarter-hour adds roughly 3 kW to that quarter-hour, not 9 kW.
• Overlap matters more than any single device. An EV charging while the oven, dishwasher and heat pump run together is what typically sets the peak.

Your bill uses the average monthly peak: the average of your last twelve monthly peaks (Fluvius).

The minimum and the price

Everyone pays at least the equivalent of a 2.5 kW peak, which covers basic network services such as correct voltage and the 24/7 emergency service. According to Fluvius, about 80% of customers are above this minimum.

For 2026 the regulator gives an average of about €53.39 per kW per year, excluding VAT, and notes that the amount differs per network operator (Vlaamse Nutsregulator). Households with a classic analogue meter pay a fixed amount equal to the minimum, because their peak cannot be measured.

Illustration with the average 2026 figure (not a quote for your home): an average monthly peak of 5 kW corresponds to roughly €267 per year excluding VAT; at the 2.5 kW minimum it is roughly €133. Your actual amount depends on your network area and your own measurements.

Check your own peak in three steps

1. On the meter: press the left button until the code 1.6.0 appears; the value shown in kW is the highest peak of the current month (Fluvius).
2. Online: in Mijn Fluvius you can consult monthly peaks and quarter-hour data for a digital meter.
3. Note the context: for the highest months, write down what was running — charging, cooking, heating, laundry. The pattern usually explains more than the number.

Before you buy anything

A battery, a smart charger or load management can reduce peaks, but only if your peaks are actually the problem and you know when they occur. Look at twelve months of data first, compare the gap with the 2.5 kW minimum, and check the figures for your own network operator. Sometimes simply shifting when the car charges or the dryer runs does more than new hardware.

Want a second, independent look at your meter data and equipment? Tell us about your home.