BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5. Hungary has filled its gas storage facilities ahead of schedule, the statement of country's Ministry of Energy said, Trend reports.
Meanwhile, Hungary holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union from the second half of 2024.
“For Hungary, the regulations of the European Commission (EC) required 86 percent gas storage level by September 1, 2024, but this figure was achieved by mid-August. Gas storage levels are now above 90 percent. The total available volume of gas in Hungary's storage facilities is approaching 5.8 bcm, which is more than enough to meet the needs of both residential and commercial consumers and exceeds the demand of last winter,” the Hungarian Ministry of Energy noted.
Hungary's gas demand is reduced by 20 percent from 2022 onwards (the EC's recommendation was 15 percent), which allows for lower gas purchases.
The main supplier of gas to Hungary was and remains Russia, but from 2023 there is an active process of diversification of sources, including natural gas from Azerbaijan.
The EC demanded for the first time in 2022 that EU member states fill their underground gas storage facilities at least 80 percent by the beginning of the heating season (by November 1); last year this figure was increased to 90 percent.
Hungary is among the 10 countries that buy Azerbaijani gas.