Hungary Set to Ditch Russian Gas by 2027, Economy Minister Says
Hungary's new energy minister has announced that the country can meet EU regulations to completely wean itself off Russian gas by October 2027. Istvan Kapitany, the economy minister, said in an interview that Hungary has enough pipeline connections to source gas from elsewhere at competitive prices.
The government is reviewing the Russian-led expansion of its sole nuclear plant and is in talks with suppliers to diversify crude oil supplies away from Russia. This shift in policy marks a significant departure from the approach taken by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who doubled down on Moscow for energy even as EU peers moved to end their reliance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Kapitany pointed out that Hungary can reduce its energy import reliance and boost energy storage capacity. He also mentioned plans to open up the country to major wind power investments.