Hungary announced that it may abandon Russian gas within a year

Hungary will be able to meet its gas needs without supplies from Russia by autumn 2027, if the current restructuring of energy supply proceeds according to plan. Budapest has also started negotiations on full use of the Adria oil pipeline as one of the options for reducing dependence on Russian oil.

This was stated by Hungary's Minister of Economy and Energy, István Kapitány.

According to him, the country's dependence on Russian gas was explained not by the lack of alternative infrastructure, but primarily by the economic attractiveness of Russian supplies. Hungary has gas pipeline connections with several neighboring states and technically can receive the necessary volumes from other directions.

Kapitány did not specify how much the share of Russian gas in the country's import has already decreased. At the same time, he stated that with the expected development, Hungary will be able to meet gas needs from non-Russian sources by October 2027.

This deadline approximately coincides with the European Union's schedule for the final cessation of imports of Russian pipeline gas. The EU-approved regulation provides for the gradual cessation of Russian gas imports, with long-term contracts for pipeline gas to end in autumn 2027. Under certain conditions, countries are allowed a short transition period.

In the oil market, Hungary is also exploring diversification opportunities. According to the minister, Budapest has already started negotiations with Croatia on the use of the Adria oil pipeline at full capacity. Through it, Hungary can receive raw materials delivered by tankers to the Croatian terminal on the Adriatic.

The new statements mark a notable change in Budapest's approach to energy dependence on Russia. Previously, Hungarian authorities repeatedly emphasized the difficulty of a rapid refusal of Russian energy imports and sought exceptions to some European restrictions.

In parallel, the Hungarian government is reviewing the future of the Paks-2 nuclear power plant project, which involves the construction of two new power units with participation of Russia's Rosatom.

According to Kapitány, the project review is planned to be completed by the end of 2026. After that, the government should determine whether the new nuclear units remain necessary for the Hungarian energy system. There is currently no final decision on the further implementation of Paks-2.

The minister explained the review by significant changes in the energy sector over the past decade. Hungary's solar generation capacity has already exceeded 8 GW, but the country lacks electricity storage systems. The government plans to significantly increase such capacities and simultaneously invest in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

The existing Paks-1 NPP may operate longer. Hungary is considering extending the lifetime of its power units by about 20 years beyond 2032.

Based on materials from: Telex, Index, European Commission