Foreword
Dear reader,
Energy transition and climate adaptation. They are no longer fads today, but full-blown realities. We are in the middle of it and it is accelerating. The world is changing and in 2023 Fluvius continued to take up the challenge of adapting its networks accordingly. We look back on this in our annual report 2023.
Investment plan
One of the highlights of the past year was the update of our 2024-2033 investment plan, which is currently still up for approval by the VREG (the Flemisch Energy Regulator). This plan takes a look ahead and explains what investments will be needed over the next ten years to prepare the distribution grid for the accelerated electrification that is coming our way. Notable in this update was the drop in expected investments for the natural gas grid to €63 million per year in 2033, the considerable importance of digitalisation and the continued adherence to the 'no regret' scenario with €4 billion in additional investments in the electricity grid.
Muti-utility
Fluvius continued to focus on the digitisation of grids and systems last year. The roll-out of the digital meter, as a crucial link in the energy transition, is progressing steadily. We are testing, on behalf of the VREG, the effect of a capacity tariff on the load on the grid. We are investigating where heat networks are a sustainable solution for providing heat to local areas and we are getting closer and closer to completely phasing out our public lighting. And in all this, data management is also an indispensable link, which is why in 2023 we also worked on a clear vision of data that we wish to achieve by 2025.
Climate adaptation
We continue to nurture ambitions in the field of water management. Together with the municipalities, we will separate waste water better, for instance. Because together we can do more. And we need to, because longer periods of high rainfall alternating with drought put our ecosystem under pressure. As the largest sewerage manager in Flanders, Fluvius supports various projects and initiatives working on softening and circular water use, for example, within the framework of the Blue Deal.
Grids for tomorrow
The media campaign 'Grids for tomorrow', launched at the end of the summer in 2023, indicates the important role of Fluvius and its distribution grids in the energy transition and climate adaptation. And at the same time, it is a warm call to come and help build the grids for tomorrow. After all, in addition to extra investments, we also need additional talents to help realise our ambitions.
Great place to work
In 2023, we worked not only on the grids, but also on our company. We are very proud to say that our annual employee survey was completed by a record number of colleagues (87%) and that we obtained the internationally recognised 'Great Place To work' certificate. We took a remarkable step forward in the past year, but we are not resting on our laurels. In 2024, we will work on the feedback from the survey in order to continue to grow and remain a place where people enjoy being and working.
Customer focus
We visited more customers than ever in 2023. Those customers were not all undividedly satisfied, we cannot deny that. The number of complaints showed a clear increase, partly due to problems with EANs, delayed connections and voltage complaints with solar panel inverters. We continue to put extra effort into targeted customer communication, both proactive and reactive. Customers are finding their way well to us, digitally, for example, via my.fluvius.be where they track their usage and apply for premiums, but equally physically in our customer offices: we received around 10 000 more visitors than in 2022.
And that is important. Because Fluvius is there for society. In 2023, we sought additional connection, through ecological projects, initiatives around training and education and, of course, our charity work.
To conclude
Fluvius works today, with an eye on tomorrow and the long-term future. In 2024, we continue to build the grids for tomorrow with even more focus on cooperation. Cooperation internally, cooperation with our shareholders, cooperation with external partners, ... because together we achieve more. In addition, the focus is on further strengthening the grids, with data management and digitalisation also playing a fundamental role.
Wim Dries
Chair of the Fluvius Board of Directors
