foreword of the Chairman of the Management Committee 2010 will linger in our memory as a year of major events for the Group. These events range from the tornado of 14 July in Belgium, when the Elia staff lived up to its reputation by restoring security of supply in the disaster-hit areas within just a few hours, to the publication of the first version of the revamped federal grid development plan; the presentation of the Stevin project to enhance the security of supply in West Flanders and the second phase connection of the major offshore wind farms; the successful initiation of the market coupling for nine Central West European and Scandinavian countries; the acquisition of 50Hertz Transmission; the transfer of Belpex combined with the acquisition of a stake in APX-Endex; and the withdrawal of the historic shareholder from the company’s capital and the ensuing capital increase! In parallel, Elia supplied its customers in good time with the studies, connections and upgrades required for their activities, and carried out its investment, maintenance and replacement plans – in complete safety for the personnel, with 2010 seeing the best results ever on that front. This series of achievements and successes was a result of the professionalism of the Elia staff, their capacity for teamwork, their motivation and their passion for providing the public service of ensuring the uninterrupted supply of electrical power throughout the year regardless of the circumstances. Their commitment has enabled Elia to become a European transmission system operator, duly recognised as such by its peers, and attentively followed by the players in the European electricity market. This active role is reflected in many actions both in Belgium and at the European level to promote a reliable and efficient internal market for electricity and to facilitate the harmonised management of national transmission systems.
Elia can offer its Belgian and German customers access to the widest and most varied possible electricity market by anticipating the developments in the European electricity system and contributing actively to achieving them. Driven by the growing share of renewable energy, national transmission grids will in future have to be managed like one large European network. Our stake in 50Hertz Transmission enables us to influence the course of these events for the benefit of our customers and the community in Belgium and Germany. Our European approach has enabled us to diversify the legislative and regulatory risk for our shareholders, while creating new sources of organic growth in line with our risk profile. Their confidence, which was reaffirmed at the time of the capital increase in June, is a seal of approval for the choices we have made and our vision for the development of our company. This is a role we intend to develop in the years to come for the sake of our customers, employees and shareholders. For this is our ambition and what we all want to achieve.
Daniel Dobbeni, Chairman of the Management Committee