Level of gas reserves in Hungary has become official

Gas volume in Hungary’s storage facilities is at 75 percent, the fourth highest in Europe, the energy ministry said on Facebook on Thursday.

The nearly 5 billion cubic metres of gas currently stored in Hungary’s facilities is twice the total amount Hungarian households used last year, the ministry said.

According to European Union targets, Hungary was required to fill its reserves to 65 percent of capacity by July 1, a threshold the country reached by May 1, the ministry said.

The final target is 90 percent of capacity by Nov. 1 for all member states, it said.

Hungary has also managed to cut gas consumption by one-fifth in two consecutive years, compared with the average of the previous five years. The ministry said due preparation and more conscientious consumption have contributed to uninterrupted supply security.