Preparing for a power cut in Belgium: checklist, gas boiler and what to do after
Short answer: No outage is announced unless an official source (FPS Economy, Elia, BE-Alert) says so. The federal load-shedding plan has 8 tranches and cuts usually last 3 to 4 hours, mostly between 5 pm and 8 pm. A gas boiler will not run without electricity. Keep a torch, power bank and closed fridge, and unplug sensitive devices.
Prices in this article are indicative Belgian market ranges, not Alpha Services Benelux's price list. Your fixed price is in the quote.
What does the federal load-shedding plan say, and how do you check your street?
Load-shedding is a last resort: in a shortage, power is cut temporarily in certain zones to avoid a general blackout. At publication (12 November 2026) the sources consulted announce no cuts. Network operator ORES does note that activation cannot be fully ruled out.
- The plan has 8 tranches. Tranche 8 goes first, then 7, 6 and so on, so the burden rotates.
- The ministers of Energy and Economy decide the evening before which tranche is switched off. Likely hours are 5 pm to 8 pm.
- According to ORES a cut typically lasts 3 to 4 hours.
Where to check whether your street is affected
Fluvius offers a street lookup for Flanders; in Wallonia and Brussels, ask your own distribution network operator. The result is indicative, because network works can change which cabin feeds you.
FPS Economy publishes an electricity indicator for the next 7 days; check its website for the current status. Also register for BE-Alert.
Home checklist: what to have ready
For a few hours you need little: light, a charged phone and a plan for the fridge and medical devices. The National Crisis Centre's "Samen Voorbereid" (French: "Prêts. Ensemble") campaign advises being self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.
| Topic | What to do |
|---|---|
| Lighting | Torch or headlamp with spare batteries; no candles as main light (fire risk). |
| Communication | Charged phone, power bank, battery radio for official updates. |
| Medical devices | If your health depends on electricity, tell your municipality in advance. Hospitals and emergency call centres are priority users; care homes are not priority users. |
| Fridge | Keep closed: food is safe for roughly 4 to 6 hours. |
| Freezer | Keep closed: about 48 hours when full, about 24 hours when half full (door shut). |
| Food and water | Food that can be eaten cold, and drinking water. |
| Solar panels | They do not supply power during a grid outage: the inverter disconnects automatically. |
Note the time the cut started. After more than 4 hours without a fridge, discard perishables. Fragile foods (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) that rose above 4 °C should be thrown away; when in doubt, throw it out.
Gas boilers and central heating: do they work without power?
Usually not: a modern gas boiler needs electricity for ignition, fan and circulation pump, and shuts down safely during an outage. Household gas supply stays intact in all cases (Fluvius).
- A gas hob without electrical supply keeps working.
- Thermocouple appliances can be lit with a match or lighter; appliances with electronic flame control (ionisation) cannot (ORES).
- Radiators stay warm for a while. In a 3 to 4 hour cut a well-insulated home cools only modestly.
- A heat pump or electric heating stops completely.
Have any boiler problem checked by a professional. More: boiler and heating.
During and after the outage
Unplug sensitive devices, leave one lamp switched on as a signal, then restart appliances one by one.
- During: unplug TV, computer, chargers and other electronics to avoid surges when power returns. Open the fridge and freezer as little as possible. Use a torch.
- When power returns: do not switch everything on at once. Fridges and water heaters draw extra current at start-up; staggered restarts avoid a new peak.
- Check the food in fridge and freezer.
- If the boiler does not restart by itself, call a professional rather than tinkering.
Grid or your own board: where is the fault?
| Observation | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Whole street or area dark | Grid or load-shedding | Follow official info, BE-Alert, network operator |
| Only your home is dark, neighbours have power | Your own board or connection | Check whether the RCD (differential) tripped |
| RCD trips when power returns | Leakage current on a circuit or appliance | Reset once; if it trips again, call an electrician |
| Main switch will not stay on | Fault in installation or connection | Contact the network operator and/or an electrician |
Never bypass the RCD to get power back: you would lose protection against electric shock.
When to call an electrician, and which preventive work helps
Call an electrician if the RCD trips repeatedly, if you smell burning, or if only your home is without power and a reset does not help. An electrician measures insulation resistance on the circuits to trace leakage current. Alpha Services Benelux has been active since 2014 and does AREI/RGIE-compliant electrical work; for urgent electrical faults there is a 24/7 line via electrician.
- Separate circuits for kitchen, freezer and heating, so one leakage fault does not shut everything down.
- Surge protection in the board against spikes when power returns.
- An AREI/RGIE-compliant board with the right RCDs and inspection. Leave this to a professional.
Never connect a generator to your board or sockets yourself. It is dangerous for you and for network workers and needs a professional installation.
Cost and comparing quotes without surprises
The cost of preventive electrical work depends on the state of your board, the number of circuits and how accessible the wiring is. We deliberately give no figures here, as we found no current source we could attribute correctly. Ask for a written quote after a site visit via electrician and compare identical work, not just the total.
- Age and compliance of the board (an old board often means full replacement).
- Number of RCDs and circuits to be split, and type of surge protection.
- Does the quote state that the board is delivered AREI/RGIE-compliant and inspected?
- Are materials, labour and travel itemised?
- What is excluded (chasing, making good, inspection)?
- Is a deposit requested, and how much?
If you combine this with a renovation, see renovation for the order of works.
Fixed quote after a site visit
Alpha Services Benelux does the work with its own team, active since 2014. VAT BE 0541.320.178.
Request a quoteFrequently asked questions
What should I do during a power cut?
First check whether neighbours are also without power. Use a torch, keep fridge and freezer closed, unplug sensitive devices and follow BE-Alert and your network operator. If only your home is affected, check whether the RCD has tripped.
How long is food safe in the fridge and freezer?
With doors closed, roughly 4 to 6 hours in the fridge, about 48 hours in a full freezer and about 24 hours in a half-full one. Fragile foods (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) that rose above 4 °C should be thrown away; when in doubt, throw it out.
Does my gas boiler work without electricity?
Usually not. Ignition, fan and pump need power and the boiler shuts down safely. Gas supply continues. Only thermocouple appliances can be lit by hand, which is rare on recent boilers.
How do I know if my street is in the load-shedding plan?
The plan has 8 tranches. Fluvius offers a street check for Flanders; elsewhere ask your network operator. FPS Economy publishes an indicator for the next 7 days.
Why does the RCD trip when power comes back?
Often because of leakage current on a circuit or appliance. Switch everything off, reset the main RCD, then circuits one by one. If it trips again, call an electrician. Never bypass it.
Sources
- Défaillance de l'approvisionnement en électricité — Centre de crise national (NCCN)
- Délestage - particuliers, professionnels, FAQ — ORES
- Afschakelplan – controleer je straat — Fluvius
- Energieschaarste — Fluvius
- Pénurie d'électricité (situation du jour) — SPF Économie (FOD Economie)
- Waarom springt mijn differentieel uit? — Elektriciteitshuis.be
- Differentieelschakelaar of aardlekschakelaar kapot of valt uit — Elektramat
- Noodradio, voeding voor 3 dagen en zaklamp: federale overheid beveelt noodpakket aan — VRT NWS
- ‘Prêts. Ensemble’ - Une campagne du Centre National de Crise — Gemeente Jette / Commune de Jette
- Campagne: Prêts ensemble à toute situation d'urgence — Centre de crise national (NCCN)
- Coupure de courant, panne : faut-il jeter tous les aliments du frigo ? — Passionsanté