SPIE Belgium has completed the final phase of a program to modernize airfield lighting at Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA), a project carried out in partnership with airport infrastructure company Sowaer since 2018.
The work focused on renewing the airport’s lighting power supply networks and transitioning most systems to LED technology to improve safety and operational reliability.
“Lighting is at the heart of airport safety,” said Nicolas Dequeker, senior project manager at SPIE Belgium. “Thanks to this renovation program, Charleroi Airport now has a modern, robust and reliable infrastructure capable of sustainably supporting the operation and evolution of air traffic.”
As part of the project, nearly 200km of underground cables were replaced, including high-voltage, secondary and grounding cables, along with several thousand connectors. The new cables are designed for extended service life and improved reliability. For this element of the program, Sowaer worked with cable manufacturer Kabelwerk Eupen.
The airport now has almost 100% LED lighting, representing about 95% of installed lights. In total, 2,450 lights and 200 panels were replaced with next-generation equipment. According to SPIE, the transition to LED technology reduces lighting energy consumption by around 80-85%, cutting demand from about 152kW to 25kW. The LED systems also have a service life two to three times longer than the halogen lighting they replaced.
SPIE said operational reliability has improved, with technical incidents related to the previous cabling eliminated since the renovation of the relevant circuits. The high-voltage cables installed as part of the program are expected to have a service life of 15-20 years.
Work on the project had to be carried out without disrupting airport operations at the single-runway facility. Most installation activities took place at night, in limited time windows, to ensure the runway and lighting systems were fully operational for morning flights. Specialized teams and temporary technical solutions were used to maintain continuity.
The program includes a five-year guarantee covering preventive and corrective maintenance.
“Thanks to this renovation program, Charleroi Airport is now equipped with one of the most reliable lighting systems in its class. We are proud to have contributed to the sustainable strengthening of the safety and operational performance of the platform,” Dequeker said.
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