From October 2025 through September 2026, low-carbon sources supplied about 58% of Hungary’s electricity consumption, led by nuclear at almost 30% and solar at about 23%. Biofuels contributed around 4% and wind about 1%. Fossil fuels supplied roughly 18%, mostly gas at 15%, with coal contributing about 2.5%. Net imports accounted for another 23%; their generation mix is not specified here. Clean electricity therefore supplied more than half of consumption, although fossil fuels still represented a substantial share.

Is Electricity Growing in Hungary?

Hungary’s electricity consumption is growing modestly: the latest 2026 figure reached about 4,955 kWh per person, roughly 60 kWh, or 1%, above the previous record set in 2025. That is welcome progress as electrification and AI create additional electricity demand. However, low-carbon electricity generation did not keep pace. It reached about 2,896 kWh per person, around 74 kWh, or 2.5%, below its 2025 record. This disappointing divergence highlights the need to expand clean generation alongside electricity consumption.

Suggestions

Hungary should build on its established nuclear and solar sectors by expanding nuclear capacity and accelerating solar deployment, supported by stronger grids and electricity storage. Neighboring Slovakia, where nuclear supplies about 66% of electricity generation, and nearby Czechia, at 41%, offer particularly relevant examples; France’s 67% nuclear share also demonstrates the scale this clean technology can achieve. For solar, North Macedonia’s roughly 40% share provides a useful regional reference, while the US state of Nevada generates about 35% of its electricity from solar. Wind can complement these investments: neighboring Austria generates about 12% of its electricity from wind, and Romania about 13%. Expanding these low-carbon sources would help Hungary meet growing demand while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and their climate and air-pollution impacts.

History

Hungary’s low-carbon electricity history began with a major nuclear expansion during the 1980s: the listed annual increases from 1983 through 1988 added up to about 13.5 TWh. The sharp 2.9 TWh nuclear decline in 2003 was a serious setback for clean electricity supply, followed by recovery through gains in 2004, 2005 and 2007. Biofuels also added about 0.9 TWh in 2005. More recently, solar became the main growth engine, with annual increases from 2019 through 2025 totaling about 10 TWh, including an especially strong 2.4 TWh increase in 2024. Against that encouraging solar growth, nuclear generation fell by about 1.1 TWh in 2020 and another 1 TWh in 2026. These disappointing losses underscore the importance of sustaining Hungary’s existing nuclear output while expanding both nuclear and solar electricity generation.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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