Energy minister: Utility price caps to be maintained till year-end

Csaba Lantos said the country would “certainly have sufficient gas” for the next heating season. He added that gas reserves were still high after a mild winter and secure supplies are supported by effective contracts.

On another subject, the minister said Hungary needed nuclear energy, an “energy source with zero carbon dioxide emission”, which could help Hungary meet its climate policy goals.

He said the primary factor behind Hungary’s growth was solar energy, with a total solar plant capacity of over 4,500MW, which equals two-thirds of the country’s average consumption. He also added that “there will be, again, wind-powered generations, if not too many, because we need that alternative, too”.

The minister added, however, that the domestic extraction of fossil fuels could be “somewhat increased” to contribute to Hungary’s energy independence.