Charleroi Airport completes major LED lighting overhaul to boost runway safety and efficiency

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) has concluded a multi-year modernisation of its airfield lighting infrastructure, delivering significant improvements in runway safety, operational resilience and energy efficiency — all without disrupting daily flight operations.

The programme, launched in 2018 and delivered in partnership with SOWAER and SPIE Belgium, represents one of the most substantial technical upgrades undertaken at the Belgian airport in recent years. While largely invisible to passengers, airfield lighting systems are mission-critical, guiding aircraft during taxi, take-off and landing operations and ensuring compliance with stringent aviation safety standards.

200 Kilometres of Cabling Replaced

A central element of the project involved the full renewal of the airport’s lighting power supply network. Approximately 200 kilometres of underground cabling were replaced, including:

• 5,000-volt primary high-voltage cables
• 48-volt secondary cables
• Earth cables
• Several thousand connectors

Developed in cooperation with Kabelwerk Eupen, the next-generation cables are engineered for a projected service life of 15 to 20 years, strengthening long-term infrastructure reliability and reducing the risk of system failures.

Transition to LED: 80–85% Energy Reduction

A key milestone was the near-complete transition to LED technology. Around 95% of the airport’s airfield lighting is now LED-based, with approximately 2,650 lights and panels installed.

The energy impact is substantial:

• Power consumption reduced from roughly 152 kW to around 25 kW
• Overall energy savings of 80–85%
• LED fixtures consume five to eight times less energy than legacy halogen units
• Service life extended by two to three times compared to previous systems

Beyond energy savings, the shift to LED significantly improves asset longevity and operational availability, reducing maintenance frequency and lifecycle costs.

Improved Reliability and Zero Recorded Incidents

Operational resilience has also improved markedly. Since the renovation of the upgraded circuits, no technical incidents have been reported. Previously, cable faults occurred several times annually, posing potential operational constraints.

Night-Time Works to Protect Operations

As a single-runway airport, CRL faced strict operational constraints during the upgrade. Works were carried out almost exclusively at night within limited time windows to avoid interference with commercial flight schedules. Specialised technical teams implemented temporary configurations to ensure full system readiness before morning operations resumed.

Five-Year Guarantee and Long-Term Impact

The completed programme is backed by a five-year guarantee covering preventive and corrective maintenance, providing additional operational assurance.

With the project now finalised, Brussels South Charleroi Airport has reinforced its safety infrastructure, enhanced system reliability and significantly reduced its environmental footprint — positioning the airport for more sustainable long-term growth.