Hungary is adequately prepared for winter, with 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas already available in domestic storage facilities of outstanding capacity, the Energy Ministry (EM) announced on Saturday on its social media page. According to the ministry, in 2023 the population consumed just over 3 billion cubic metres, and the available reserve is almost twice that.
They pointed out that the economy's needs were covered by about 5.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas last year, and the amount stored in the country exceeds that, adding that last year, more than 70 percent of the total gas consumption amounted to about 8.5 percent. One billion cubic meters were available before the onset of extreme cold weather.
As shown, the amount equivalent to the combined use of 5.7 billion cubic meters from the previous heating season had already been stored by the beginning of September.
In addition, according to estimates based on progress proportional to time, annual natural gas consumption may fall below 8 billion cubic meters this year, and thus reserves may cover a greater proportion of actual needs, the ministry announced.
It was recalled that the European Union imposes a 90 percent tariff target on member states with underground gas storage facilities with a deadline of November 1, and Hungary has already met this condition by the beginning of September, and according to data collected by European gas infrastructure operators, We currently stand at 93 percent.
“Our country has traditionally been at the forefront of the continent in terms of capacity indicators proportional to consumption. So far, only Latvia and Austria, which store the reserves of the three Baltic states, are ahead of us in this comparison,” they said. .
They point out that in addition to the high stock level, the secure supply to Hungarian consumers is also supported by undisturbed imports and local production.
“Thanks to lower utility bills, households have had access to the cheapest natural gas in Europe for a long time. Utility protection measures, in their unchanged form, ensure that Hungarian people can keep their homes warm at affordable prices even in the heating season,” the announcement said. It will start soon.
Tags:
Reserve, Hungary, gas, winter, economy
