The Meuse, upstream of the locks, feeds into the Albert canal through the Monsin barrage. Simply lowering the water level wouldn’t do when making the transition: a hydraulic imbalance might compromise the safe passage of ships on the Albert canal and endanger the aquatic life in the river, especially during the summer when the water is low. It was therefore imperative that the water level would be manipulated and maintained correctly at all times. Eight pumps were used, weighing 10 t apiece, with a combined power of 4500 KW, which equates to 61,200 m³ of water being shifted from the Meuse to the Albert Canal every hour. The pumps are joined by a state-of-the-art power station that takes full advantage of the difference in water levels in the reverse scenario: an excess of water, creating a surplus run that can be put to good use. In periods of prolonged rainfall, the irrepressible power of the water taking its natural course (i.e. downward) is harvested by five powerful turbines producing a total of 2.3 MW, which equates to a lot of green energy.