As of the beginning of this year, Hungarian citizens are still paying the lowest utility fees in in the European Union, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Zsófia Koncz said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening of a new customer service office of the state-owned power company MVM in Nagykáta, Pest County, Zsófia Koncz recalled that the Ministry of Energy was established by the government in response to the international energy crisis. She emphasized that since 2013, the government has considered maintaining the utility cost reduction programme a top priority.

‘Today, in Hungary, nine out of ten consumers fall below the protected range in the case of natural gas, and eight out of ten consumers fall below the protected range in the case of electricity. These are results that the government aims to continue preserving,’ the state secretary highlighted. Zsófia Koncz stated that the government believes the future of Hungary’s energy policy lies in green energy, not only in its use and production but also in its storage.

She underscored the significance of Hungary having the largest natural gas reserves in proportion to consumption during the heating season. Currently, the domestic gas storage facilities are 83 per cent full, and in terms of reserves compared to annual consumption, Hungary’s 55 per cent indicator is more than twice the EU average and the third-highest ratio in Europe.

The state secretary emphasized the importance of expanding and developing the network of customer service offices, a task continuously undertaken by the MVM Group. The permanent office in Nagykáta serves as a good example, where customers can now manage not only their electricity-, but also gas-related affairs.

The MVM Group is a state-owned blue chip Hungarian energy company that plays a significant role in the energy sector in Hungary in terms of the generation, transmission, and trading of electricity.

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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/MVM/EM/MTI