Electrical commissioning of a new house is the step that creates the most post-reception stress. In Wallonia, it is ORES (and not Sibelga, which covers Brussels only) that opens your meter. The full path, up to date as of April 2026, takes between 12 and 25 working days depending on your area, but I have seen files reach 6 weeks because of one missed detail. Here is the real path, step by step, as I observe it across the 612 provisional reception files of my firm.
Step 1: the compliant RGIE inspection
Without a compliant RGIE certificate signed by an accredited body (Vinçotte, OCB, BTV, ACEG or equivalent), ORES opens nothing. The RGIE (General Regulation on Electrical Installations) verifies that your installation complies with current standards — differential protection, earthing, separated circuits, cable sections, distribution board.
It is the electrician contractor who instructs the inspector, but it is your file: demand the original copy at the reception PV, not a scanned photocopy. If the certificate carries “non-compliances to be corrected”, opening of the meter is suspended until rework is done and a full new inspection (which will be billed again, around 180 €). On the sites I expertise, I still see 8% of certificates issued with non-compliances hidden on the last page — always check the last page of the document.
Step 2: the ORES opening request
The request is made online at ores.be or by phone (078 78 78 00). Documents to provide, in order:
- The compliant RGIE certificate signed and stamped
- Copy of the property deed or the preliminary sale agreement
- Applicant’s ID card (front and back)
- Meter EAN code (18 digits, provided by the contractor)
- Signed provisional reception minutes
- Power choice (generally 25 or 40 A single-phase, 25 A three-phase)
Lead time announced on the site: 12 working days. Actual lead time observed in 2026 on my files: 15 to 22 days depending on area, sometimes 28 days at winter peak due to volume. For rural areas (Luxembourg Province, south of Namur), systematically count an extra 3-5 days.
Step 3: choosing your energy supplier
This is the Belgian subtlety that surprises buyers coming from other countries: ORES manages the distribution network, not the energy supplier. You must therefore subscribe in parallel to a supply contract with Engie, Luminus, TotalEnergies, Eneco, Octa+, Mega or another. Without an active supplier contract on the day of opening, ORES technically opens the meter but no energy flows.
Practical advice: subscribe to your supplier contract 10 days before the planned commissioning date, and provide your EAN code to the supplier at subscription. Competition is fierce — I advise my clients to compare on CompaCWaPE, the official tool of the CWaPE (Walloon energy regulator).
Step 4: physical commissioning
On D-day, an ORES technician comes to physically open the meter. Be present or designate a written proxy. The technician checks the reading, seals the meter, tests continuity, and draws up a commissioning PV. Keep this document: it serves as evidence in any later dispute on initial consumption.
If your meter is a communicating meter (Smart Meter, deployed in Wallonia since 2023), commissioning can be triggered remotely without an on-site technician — saving 5-7 days on the total lead time.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Never sign the reception PV without the original RGIE certificate in hand
- Do not submit your ORES request as long as the RGIE is not compliant: double lead time
- Verify that the EAN code is indeed on your reception PV (frequently overlooked)
- Beware of supplier contracts signed too early: billing runs from subscription
What to do next?
If your electrical file shows non-compliances, or if you want to secure commissioning before move-in, have your installation audited by an independent expert. My firm offers an electrical expertise that includes re-reading the RGIE and identifying hidden defects. For cases of serious non-compliance, also see the article Non-compliant electrical at reception.