Hungarian PM Viktor Orban: With Russian gas, utility bills can be kept low

Moscow, February 2 - Neftegaz.RU. Orbán told a joint news conference that with Russian gas, the government’s scheme to keep household utility bills low would prove feasible, but without it, the scheme would come to an end.
He noted that:

• Household gas and electricity prices in Europe, except in Hungary, had grown 2-3-fold
• With the agreement under negotiation, we will secure Hungary’s energy supply permanently
• As the 2 countries’ long-term gas supply agreement will gain in importance in the future, the volume should be increased rather than reduced

Putin said Russia was open to further cooperation and Hungary’s request was being considered. Supplying an additional 1 billion m³ would be easily manageable.

Whereas Europe would encounter problems with its gas supply, he said, Hungary’s supply was secure thanks to its contract with Russia for 4.5 billion m³ of gas per year until 2036.
Hungarian consumers, he added, had access to gas at well below the market price.
Putin said:

• Hungary had continued to prove its reliability in transmitting deliveries of Russian natural gas
• Energy plays an important role in Russian-Hungarian economic relations
• Russia had been supplying energy to Hungary for many years without interruption, covering 55 % of its oil consumption and 80 % of its gas consumption
• Hungarian oil & gas company MOL maintains oil production interests in Russia
• Russia supplied gas to Hungary under a long-term agreement and that the bilateral agreement has been extended until 2036

Concerning the upgrade of the Paks NPP, Orbán noted preparations for the project have entered the final phase, and as soon as the last permit is obtained «the next phase of implementation will automatically start, enabling us Hungarians to take the decisive step towards becoming independent in terms of electricity supply»,