The WVEM Power Station Harelbeke was a regional oil-fired power plant that played an important role in the electricity supply of West Flanders for more than three decades. Built by the West-Vlaamse Elektriciteitsmaatschappij (WVEM), the plant entered operation on 1 April 1976 and was officially inaugurated on 20 December 1977.

Unlike Belgium’s large baseload generating stations, the Harelbeke facility was designed as a medium-sized thermal power plant with an electrical output of approximately 84 MW. It was primarily fuelled by heavy fuel oil, while an additional 3.5 MW of electricity could be generated through heat recovery from the exhaust gases. The station featured two distinctive chimneys, each rising approximately 72 metres above the surrounding landscape, making the site a well-known industrial landmark for decades.

The plant was originally operated by WVEM, a regional electricity company responsible for supplying power across large parts of West Flanders. In later years, ownership passed to SPE, and eventually the facility became part of EDF Luminus following changes in the Belgian energy sector. Although ownership changed, the power station remained best known by its original WVEM identity.

During its operational life, the station was modernised several times to comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations. A selective catalytic reduction (DeNOx) system was installed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, and in 2005 the boilers were adapted to allow limited co-firing with palm oil alongside heavy fuel oil.

As Belgium’s electricity production shifted towards more efficient gas-fired plants and imported electricity, the Harelbeke power station became increasingly uneconomical. In its final years it mainly served as a reserve and peak-load facility, operating only during periods of exceptionally high electricity demand.

Commercial electricity generation finally ended in March 2012, bringing nearly 36 years of operation to a close. Most of the industrial equipment was removed during the following years, while the iconic chimneys remained standing until December 2023, when both structures were demolished in a controlled explosion, marking the definitive end of one of West Flanders’ most recognisable power stations.

Today, the former industrial site has been redeveloped for new commercial use, leaving only historical records and photographs to document the legacy of the WVEM Power Station Harelbeke, a facility that once formed an essential part of the region’s electrical infrastructure.