Utility prices in Europe rose to an astonishing extent: the price of household electricity was higher in 22 states. The biggest increase is recorded in the Netherlands, by almost a thousand percent, and in Lithuania and Romania you also have to pay an exceptionally high amount. In Hungary, however, there is no reason to worry thanks to overhead protection.
In the interests of Hungarian families, despite the constant attacks from Brussels and the left, the government maintains the utility reduction reserved for average consumption even in times of war: according to Eurostat's latest data for the first half of 2023, gas was the cheapest in Hungary for residential consumers.
Based on the more up-to-date international price comparison of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utilities Regulatory Office, the Hungarians had the least electricity and natural gas costs for households in the member states in September this year, the Ministry of Energy (EM) announced on Thursday.
The war and Brussels sanctions led to a drastic price increase on the international energy market last year. Hungary's energy bill increased by about HUF 4,000 billion from 2021 to 2022. Despite the explosive increase in costs, the government kept the utility-reduced prices in effect until average consumption.
According to the series of data published by Eurostat on Thursday, the situation of Hungarian families remains the most favorable in Europe when examining the average energy prices.
In the first half of 2023, gas was the cheapest for residential consumers in Hungary, and in terms of electricity prices, our country was second behind Bulgaria with a minimal difference. Dutch households at the far end of the ranking paid seven times more for gas and four times more for electricity.
The EU average price was two and a half times higher than the domestic price for electricity and three and a half times for natural gas.
For the first six months of this year, the most drastic price increase of 953 percent was shown in the Netherlands, where the price of electricity essentially increased tenfold. Citizens have to pay 88 percent more in Lithuania and 77 percent more in Romania.
In terms of gas price increases, Latvia, Romania and Austria are the leaders, in all three Member States the tariff has more than doubled.
The government reduces the burden on Hungarian families by maintaining utility protection. In the first three quarters of this year, it provided HUF 1,105 billion in overhead subsidies, and in the last three months, it covers the related expenses of natural gas and district heating services with an additional HUF 255 billion. In the 2024 budget, the Utility Protection Fund guarantees reduced prices for domestic consumers with a budget of HUF 1,340 billion.
MTI
Mandiner.hu
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