Electricity and natural gas consumption in Hungary decreased in 2023 compared to previous years, according to the energy ministry.

Gas consumption amounted to 8.5 billion cubic metres, down by 10.9 percent compared to 2022 and 23 percent less than in 2021. Electricity consumption declined by 4.7 percent in 2023 from the previous year.

Households accounted for more than 3 billion cubic metres of the country’s gas consumption and business consumers for close to 5.5 cubic metres.

Hungarian families continue to pay the lowest electricity prices in Europe, the ministry said, adding that just ten percent of households paid the higher, non-regulated price for gas, while 20 percent paid the higher electricity price.

The ministry noted that gas volume in storage facilities was still over 86 percent, or 57 percent of annual consumption, adding that this storage level was more than double the European Union average.