Hungary backs extension of EU measure expediting renewables projects

Hungary supports an initiative to extend an EU measure accelerating the process of issuing permits for renewable energy projects, but is opposed to extensions of a gas price cap and joint gas procurement, the state secretary for energy and climate policy said in Brussels on Tuesday.

Attila Steiner told MTI during a break of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council’s meeting that the 180 euro/MWh gas price cap rolled out in February was a punitive measure that could result in a “very bad” countermeasure on the Russian side. Extending joint EU gas procurement beyond the end of the year paves the way for “more influence” by the European Commission, he added.

He said the EU’s gas solidarity measure requiring member states to top up neighbours’ gas supplies in case of emergency would be fair if the gas was purchased not at market prices but at the price at which it was procured.

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Source: MTI