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PRESS RELEASE
Tel.: +32 2 546 70 11 Fax: +32 2 546 70 10
23 March 2010
Elia teams prepare for Earth Hour
Elia, in cooperation with its colleagues transmission system operators of the European interconnected grid, is teaming up to prepare for Earth Hour, the action organized worldwide by World Wildlife Fund on Saturday 27 March. If European citizens were to switch the lights off and on en masse at the same moment, this action could provoke serious fluctuations in the balance between electricity generation and consumption on the European grid, entailing consequences for the continuity of supply, such as interrupting customers' supply. Via its website Elia informs the public on the specific measures it takes in order to enable the action to proceed smoothly and amongst others warns not to switch on again all at the same time. More information on www.elia.be.
About Elia: Elia is the Belgian transmission system operator, transmitting electricity from producers to distribution system operators and major industrial users and being responsible for importing and exporting electrical energy to and from Belgium’s neighbouring countries. Elia owns the entire Belgian very-high-voltage grid (150 to 380 kV) and some 94% (ownership and user rights) of Belgium's high-voltage grid infrastructure (30 to 70 kV). Elia's grid consists of 5,614 kilometres of overhead lines and 2,765 kilometres of underground connections and is a key link between electricity markets in northern and southern Europe. Belgium’s recent investments in interconnection capacity with its neighbours make it one of the most open and interconnected countries in Europe. For more information, please contact Elia: Media: Eva Suls Axekke Pollet
+32 2 546 73 78 +32 2 546 75 11
+32 477 48 80 09 +32 475 84 38 91
eva.suls@elia.be axelle.pollet@elia.be
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