The electricity bills of the Moulins du Val-Dieu, in Aubel, have exploded. Between last spring and October, they went from 8,000 euros to 35,000 euros per month. A staggering sum that convinced millers Christian Hick and Benoit Brouwers to buy a generator. According to the administrator of the mills, it is not ecological, “but it is a question of survival”.
The Val-Dieu mill is one of the last two to produce edible flour in Wallonia. But the company is hurt by the energy crisis. Last spring, Christian Hick’s supplier, Elexis, terminated its electricity contract. Indeed, due to financial difficulties, the distribution network operator Ores no longer authorizes the firm to supply electricity in Wallonia. Forced to change supplier, the boss of Moulins du Val-Dieu turned to TotalEnergies. At first, the amount of the deposit is similar, around 8,000 euros per month, but this will quickly explode due to the war in Ukraine to reach 35,000 euros in August.
A sum that is simply unpayable for the miller, who took a radical decision, yet a thousand leagues from his convictions. He recently purchased a generator that runs on gasoline. “My partner (Benoit Brouwers) counted that it will cost us half price”, explained Christian to our colleagues from RTL TVI. “It’s not very green or in keeping with current trends, but it’s a matter of survival.” According to him, even if the price of fuel has also increased, operating his generator costs him less than being connected to the electricity grid.
