From November 2025 through October 2026, low-carbon sources supplied more than half of Hungary’s electricity consumption, at about 58%. Nuclear provided nearly 29% and solar 24%, making them the main pillars of clean electricity supply. Biofuels contributed about 4% and wind about 1%. Fossil fuels supplied 18%, mostly gas at almost 15%, with coal contributing roughly 3%. Net imports covered the remaining 24%; their generation mix is not specified, so they cannot be classified as clean or fossil from these data.

Is Electricity Growing in Hungary?

Electricity consumption in Hungary is growing: the latest 2026 figure reached about 5,000 kWh per person, surpassing the 2025 record of roughly 4,900 kWh by 103 kWh, or about 2%. However, low-carbon electricity generation did not keep pace. It fell to about 2,900 kWh per person, down 66 kWh, or just over 2%, from its 2025 record. Rising electricity consumption is welcome as electrification and AI increase demand, but the decline in clean generation is concerning: Hungary needs low-carbon supply to grow alongside consumption.

Suggestions

Hungary should expand nuclear and solar generation, building on technologies that already supply large amounts of its electricity. Nearby Slovakia, where nuclear produces 66% of electricity, and Czechia, at 40%, offer relevant examples of a stronger nuclear contribution; France reaches 67%. For solar, North Macedonia’s 40% share shows the potential for a larger contribution in the wider region. Hungary could also develop more wind generation, drawing lessons from Austria and Romania, where wind supplies about 12% and 13% of electricity respectively. Combining expanded nuclear, solar and wind with stronger grids would help meet growing demand with clean electricity while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and their climate and air-pollution impacts.

History

Hungary’s low-carbon electricity history features a major nuclear expansion during the 1980s: annual increases from 1983 through 1988 added up to 13.5 TWh. A substantial 2.9 TWh nuclear decline in 2003 interrupted that progress, followed by gains totaling 4 TWh across 2004, 2005 and 2007; biofuels also increased by 0.9 TWh in 2005. Solar became the main source of sustained growth in the 2020s, increasing every year from 2020 through 2026, with those annual gains totaling 10.1 TWh. Its strongest increases came in 2023–2025, including a 2.4 TWh gain in 2024. Nuclear output fell by 1.1 TWh in 2020 and 1.4 TWh in 2026, underscoring the importance of restoring and expanding this major clean electricity source alongside continued solar growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Nov 2025 – Oct 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.