Your electricity bill is made up of a number of components. Part of your bill goes to cover Sibelga's distribution costs. We ensure that electricity reach you every day via a network of thousands of kilometres of cables.
The components of your electricity bill
Figures based on the latest price observatory data published by Brugel 2025/08.
Simulation for a median Brussels customer representing an annual gas consumption of 2036 kWh.
Energy cost (41% of the bill)
This is the cost that the energy supplier charges. This price can, of course, vary depending on the energy supplier and the formula that you choose.
Your energy supplier is the one with whom you have concluded a contract, and from whom you receive your energy bill.
Distribution cost (29% of the bill)
The distribution cost included in your bill covers not only the actual distribution cost, but also other costs that the distribution system operator has to collect and pass on to the relevant parties.
1. Distribution system operator’s tasks (21,9%)
- Management, maintenance and development of the electricity network covering over 6,500 km.
- Management of more than 730,000 electricity meters.
- Management of consumption data.
- Management of the operation of the market (customer exchanges, supplier exchanges, etc.).
2. Municipal fee (2,1%)
Sibelga pays a fee to the municipalities to be able to use the public highway for its electricity cables.
3. Public Service Obligations (4,7%)
By order of the regional authorities, the distribution system operator also has to provide specific public services:
- Management of the street lighting on municipal roads. In Brussels, this means being responsible for over 90,000 street lamps and carrying out around 8,400 repairs every year.
- Protecting vulnerable users by supplying energy to people with ‘protected customer’ status.
VAT and other contributions (25% of the bill)
Federal contribution (12%)
Since 2022, the components of the ‘federal contribution’ have been incorporated into a special excise duty on electricity, which is a federal levy. Although the name has changed, the purpose and objectives of this levy remain the same.
This levy finances the operating costs of the federal regulator of the gas and electricity markets (CREG), the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and the federal policy on reducing greenhouse gases.
A portion is also allocated to cover the costs of supplying energy to customers who benefit from the social tariff.
Green energy contribution (6%)
This contribution is a mechanism set up to finance the development of electricity production from renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydraulic, etc.).
VAT (6%)
The VAT rate on electricity is set at 6% for residential customers. For business customers, the standard VAT rate of 21% applies.
Regional contribution (<1%)
The regional contribution is used to fund the energy grants, the management of the green power certificates and the functioning of the Brussels energy regulator, Brugel.
Transmission cost (5% of the bill)
The transmission cost covers the infrastructure costs associated with transporting electricity from its place of production to the Brussels distribution network.
These costs are paid to Elia.