Belgium has a peak load of just above 10000 MW (1990), about 13500 MW installed capacity and six 380 kV international interconnexion lines, with the Netherlands, France and Luxemburg, part of the UCPTE system, the continental European interconnected network. This latter has a peak load of more than 230000 MW. The control system of the Belgian electrical system is based on a hierarchical structure, the national dispatching of CPTE, company for the coordination of production and transmission of electricity, being linked to regional and local ones. The communications means used are based mainly on digital radio links. The communication network is meshed. The existing national control centre uses a multi-computer based Scada system, in operation since 1976. A new system has been ordered to replace the existing national dispatching: this new EMS tool consist of application computers and software, scada and communication processors. It includes an emergency control centre too. The new communication system will allow the exchange of various kind of data, including real time ones, energy counts, off-line files, electronic mail,.. Other types can be included. The processors take care of the conversion between the data bases of all the different control centres, and use a specific identification scheme. Easy adaptation to the evolution of the ever changing control centres is one of the design criteria of the system. Within the communication functions, automatic rerouting is provided in case of communication link failure. Tests on the new EMS system are scheduled for 1992; factory acceptance test of the communication system, as a part of the full installation, have been carried out with success end 1990. Installation and test on site are under way; the communication system is planned to be in operation in spring 1991. First performances are available.
