Economy
Hungary power supply increasingly reliant on neighbours
Hungary’s gross domestic consumption was 22.7 Terawatt hour (TWh) in January-June 2018, of which 14.57 TWh were produced domestically and 8.13 TWh were imported.
In the same period of 2017, total consumption was 22.4 TWh, of which 30% were imports. Annual consumption exceeded 45 TWh, with a 28.5% import share.
Power consumption peaked this year in January at over 4 TWh, with a 29% import share.
Electricity imports reached their highest this June at 42.9% of total consumption, but the share was high also in May (41%) and in March (39.5%).
The previous gross system load record of 6,780 megawatt was broken on 2 March at 6,825 MW.
Hungary’s power consumption has been rising gradually over the last few years and on the basis of Mavir studies, the National Energy Strategy envisages the continuation of the trend.
The government first set the goal of doing away with power import in 2017. Former cabinet chief János Lázár said the means to this end in the longer term were meant to be the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant and the establishment of renewable energy capacities, primarily solar parks. In the meantime, the cabinet still refuses the setting up of wind power stations in Hungary. The official national energy strategy approved in 2012 for a period until 2030 still aimed to give a natural gas an even greater role in Hungary’s energy supply. According to currently available data, Hungary’s greatest hope to make itself independent in terms of energy supply is the Paks NPP, as its old and new blocks are expected to be simultaneously in operation for a few years around 2030. However, nuclear energy production is expected to drop gradually after that.
The Paks NPP generates about 50% of the country’s gross energy need. The other half is supplied by coal, coal products, natural gas and biomass, while the share of solar energy is merely a few percentages despite the major expansion we have been witnessing in this area.
In the same period of 2017, total consumption was 22.4 TWh, of which 30% were imports. Annual consumption exceeded 45 TWh, with a 28.5% import share.
Power consumption peaked this year in January at over 4 TWh, with a 29% import share.
Electricity imports reached their highest this June at 42.9% of total consumption, but the share was high also in May (41%) and in March (39.5%).
The previous gross system load record of 6,780 megawatt was broken on 2 March at 6,825 MW.
Hungary’s power consumption has been rising gradually over the last few years and on the basis of Mavir studies, the National Energy Strategy envisages the continuation of the trend.
The government first set the goal of doing away with power import in 2017. Former cabinet chief János Lázár said the means to this end in the longer term were meant to be the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant and the establishment of renewable energy capacities, primarily solar parks. In the meantime, the cabinet still refuses the setting up of wind power stations in Hungary. The official national energy strategy approved in 2012 for a period until 2030 still aimed to give a natural gas an even greater role in Hungary’s energy supply. According to currently available data, Hungary’s greatest hope to make itself independent in terms of energy supply is the Paks NPP, as its old and new blocks are expected to be simultaneously in operation for a few years around 2030. However, nuclear energy production is expected to drop gradually after that.
The Paks NPP generates about 50% of the country’s gross energy need. The other half is supplied by coal, coal products, natural gas and biomass, while the share of solar energy is merely a few percentages despite the major expansion we have been witnessing in this area.
