Rationalising territorially dispersed consumption: the projects of Fernand Courtoy for the electricity production and distribution of Belgium

The electrification of the notoriously dispersed urbanization patterns of Belgium was a complex and confused operation. The superposition of a nationwide industrial framework, consisting of large elements such as coal basins and sea ports, and a territory characterized by a very fragmented and functionally diverse spatial structure, led to the appearance of electricity in all sorts of locations following diverse arrangements. Within fifty years, large-scale industrial self-producers, regional electricity companies, provincial projects, urban municipal companies and small-scale local initiative... Mehr ...