Energy Minister Csaba Lantos said gas storage levels are high across Europe, including in Hungary, thanks to a mild winter.
The minister told Kossuth Radio that although Europe continues to receive gas from Russia, a protracted war cannot be ruled out, adding that a rise in gas prices was also a possibility. Commenting on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s remark that the European Union could face a gap of 30 billion cubic metres of gas, Lantos said that around 25 large liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals were being built across the bloc. He added, at the same time, that the winter of 2023-2024 would be a “tough” one for the continent. Hungary, however, is in a slightly different position given its relatively high number of gas storage facilities, Lantos said. As long as the Serbian pipeline is functioning, those facilities will be filled, he added. The minister said the government will continue to provide cheap gas to Hungarians up to average consumption levels. The gas price above the threshold for average consumption is also below the market price, he said, noting that the government has decided not to raise that price in the current heating period ending on April 30.