Belgium’s energy landscape reached a symbolic milestone in 2025, as renewable electricity production rose to match the contribution of nuclear power for the first time. New figures from electricity grid operator Elia show that renewables accounted for 34% of the national electricity mix, equalling nuclear energy’s share.
The data, which remains preliminary ahead of final statistics due in early 2026, highlights the accelerating transformation of Belgium’s power system. Solar energy played the leading role, with production rising by an impressive 21% compared with the previous year.
Elia reported that solar power generation reached unprecedented levels throughout 2025. June marked an absolute monthly record, with 1,370 gigawatt-hours of electricity produced from solar installations across the country. The grid operator attributed this surge to a 10% increase in installed capacity, combined with exceptionally sunny weather conditions.
The rapid expansion of rooftop panels, solar parks, and commercial installations has steadily strengthened Belgium’s renewable output. Policymakers have long promoted solar energy as a cornerstone of the country’s climate and energy strategy, and 2025 provided clear evidence of its growing impact.
Wind energy, by contrast, delivered a more mixed performance. Despite continued expansion of onshore and offshore wind capacity, total wind generation slipped by 2% to 12.3 terawatt-hours. Elia explained that less favourable wind conditions over the year offset gains from newly installed turbines.
Taken together, renewable sources generated a record 22.4 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2025. This total represents 34% of Belgium’s electricity mix, underscoring the sector’s rising importance in meeting national demand.
Elia also pointed to periods when renewables dominated consumption. According to the grid operator, renewable energy covered at least half of Belgium’s electricity use for more than 16.2% of the year, reflecting the increasing flexibility and capacity of the system.
Nuclear power narrowly retained its position as Belgium’s single largest energy source. Nuclear plants produced 22.5 terawatt-hours in 2025, also accounting for 34% of the electricity mix. However, this output marked a sharp decline of 24% compared with 2024.
The drop in nuclear generation was largely due to the progressive shutdown of reactors. Doel 1 was decommissioned in February, followed by Tihange 1 in October and Doel 2 in December. These closures are part of Belgium’s long-planned nuclear phase-out, although the policy remains a subject of political debate.
With domestic production under pressure, Belgium continued to rely heavily on cross-border electricity flows. For the third consecutive year, imports exceeded exports, resulting in a net import of 14 terawatt-hours in 2025.
France and the Netherlands were Belgium’s main suppliers, each contributing around 10 terawatt-hours of imported electricity. At the same time, Belgium exported power to Germany, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg, reflecting the country’s central role in the interconnected European grid.
Total international electricity exchanges with neighbouring countries reached 42 terawatt-hours over the year, highlighting the growing importance of regional cooperation in balancing supply and demand.
Domestic electricity consumption remained relatively stable at 80.1 terawatt-hours, a modest decline of 1% compared with 2024. However, Elia cautioned that this stability may be short-lived.
Looking ahead, the grid operator expects consumption to rise significantly as transport, heating, and industry become increasingly electrified. Managing this growth while maintaining security of supply will be a central challenge for Belgium’s energy transition in the coming decade.