The Flemish capacity tariff, in force since 2023, has fundamentally changed how households and small businesses pay for electricity.
Anyone connecting a charger without taking it into account sometimes sees the grid tariff on the annual bill rise sharply. Smart charging prevents that.
What is the capacity tariff?
The part of your bill that goes to the grid operator is no longer calculated only on your consumption in kWh, but also on your monthly peak power: the highest quarter-hour average your connection drew that month, in kilowatts. The higher that peak, the more you pay, regardless of how many hours you consume.
Running the oven, dishwasher, tumble dryer and an 11 kW charger at the same time in the evening can create a peak of 14 kW or more in that one quarter hour.
That one peak sets the meter for the entire month.
Why does this hit a charger particularly hard?
An 11 kW charger on its own draws more power than many households normally reach at peak. If that charger starts automatically as soon as the car is plugged in, without taking other appliances into account, it structurally creates monthly peaks. The effect on the annual grid bill is often €100 to €300 higher than necessary, purely due to poor timing.
What does smart charging do in practice?
Smart charging automatically controls the charging power based on what is being used elsewhere in the house at that moment. Three techniques work together.
Dynamic load balancing
The charger measures through a sensor in the fuse box how much power the household uses, and continuously adjusts the charging power. That keeps the total connection below a set threshold. More in load balancing: what and why?
Delayed charging start
The charger only starts after a certain time, or when other large consumers are switched off.
Energy management system
In combination with solar panels, a battery or a heat pump, an energy management system (EMS) coordinates all components so the peak is never exceeded. Read also chargers with solar panels and a battery.
What does it save in euros?
The exact saving depends on your grid operator area and tariff.
What should you check with a new charger?
- Is dynamic load balancing included as standard, or an option?
- Is a separate sensor needed in the fuse box, and is it included in the price?
- Does the charger work with your digital meter, and is your peak read correctly?
- Can you adjust the maximum charging power via an app, for exceptional situations?
A charger without smart control is rarely the right choice in 2026. The extra cost pays for itself within one to two years, through the capacity tariff alone.
Unsure about the power? Read choosing a home charger: 11 kW, 22 kW or smart.
Smart charging, from advice to management
Certipower installs, measures, manages and bills. At home, on the company site, in co-ownerships and on the road.
A charger that limits your peak?
We review your consumption profile and give you a concrete proposal.
- Analysis of your consumption profile
- Advice on smart control and load balancing
- A proposal with savings in euros
The amounts in this article are indicative and based on Flemish grid tariffs at the time of publication. They differ per grid operator area and may change annually.