If you own or manage a building with high-voltage premises, you have certain responsibilities. These responsibilities vary depending on the purpose of the premises.
What is the purpose of the high-voltage premises?
The main purpose of high-voltage premises in a building is to supply the building with electricity. In some cases, it can also guarantee a secure power supply to the neighbourhood in the event of a power failure.
The nameplate on the door of the premises can help you determine the exact purpose of the premises in question.
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The responsibility of the owners
- Reference A: This is a customer high-voltage cabin fitted with one or more transformers. Management and maintenance are the responsibility of the building's owners.
The responsibility of Sibelga
- Reference I: This is a low-voltage network dispersal cabin. Sibelga is responsible for its management and maintenance.
- Reference L: This is a network transformer station designed to house a transformer in the future. Sibelga is responsible for its management and maintenance.
- Reference R: This is a high-voltage network cabin fitted with one or more transformers. Sibelga is responsible for its management and maintenance.
Network high-voltage cabin (R)
A network high-voltage cabin (R) installed in a building has 2 purposes:
- Supplying the building with low-voltage power.
- Ensuring the neighbourhood's power supply and public lighting.
That is why this cabin cannot be removed under any circumstances.
A 99-year long-term lease is generally concluded between the owner and Sibelga for all network high-voltage cabins. If this is not the case, Sibelga is prepared to regularize the situation.
What are your responsibilities?
Guaranteed access
Whatever the type of cabin, access must be guaranteed at all times for Sibelga staff to carry out any work, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether for a routine visit or an unscheduled emergency procedure.
The cabins are crossed by the HV network cables for which Sibelga is responsible. We must therefore have access to them at all times, including when a problem occurs in a neighbouring cabin or in the event of a power cut in the neighbourhood.
It is important to ensure that access to the premises is secure and reserved for authorised professionals to avoid any risk of accident.
Customer high-voltage cabin (A)
If the building has a customer high-voltage cabin (A), the property manager must ensure that the installation is in good working order and complies with the regulations.
- Environmental permit: All cabins fitted with a transformer (A) of more than 200 kVA require an environmental permit. For customer high-voltage cabins, it is up to the owner to apply to the local authority concerned.
- Maintenance and compliance: you must comply with certain regulatory obligations.
Other types of cabins (I – L – R)
- Environmental permit : requests are handled by Sibelga.
- Maintenance and compliance : Sibelga is responsible for annual inspection visits and interior maintenance of the cabin.
- External fabric : the external fabric of the premises must be in good condition, with no cracks or other damage.
Carrying out work
Civil engineering work requiring entry into a high-voltage network cabin (R) may only be performed with the agreement of the Sibelga Electricity Operations Department.
On the other hand, any modification to the fabric of the network high-voltage cabin (R) requires prior agreement from Sibelga.