Thursday, 3 September 2026
Hungary has taken a significant step towards restarting large-scale wind energy development by launching its first competitive allocation of grid capacity specifically aimed at new wind projects. The programme makes 702 MVA available across nine connection points, creating a defined pipeline for investment in generation, battery storage and associated electricity infrastructure.
The Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority published the tender on 30 August 2026. Developers will be able to submit applications between 4 September and 30 October, with the outcome due to be announced by 13 December 2026.
The available capacity is spread across four parts of the country. The largest individual opportunity is at Ócsa in central Hungary, where 255 MVA has been allocated. A further 200 MVA is available at the Szombathely OVIT connection in western Hungary. Other locations include Ács, Kisbér, Komárom, Dunaújváros, Iváncsa and Székesfehérvár, together with an additional connection at Szombathely.
Successful projects will not receive immediate access to the network. Connections are scheduled to become available from 30 September 2030 at the earliest, while winning developments must reach commercial operation by 30 September 2032.
The programme has significant implications for development land surrounding the designated grid infrastructure. Proposed wind farms must be situated within 19 kilometres of the connection point selected in the application. Developers must identify at least one hectare of land and demonstrate an appropriate legal interest in the site, which can include ownership, lease rights or certain other contractual arrangements.
This requirement effectively establishes nine geographical zones in which developers can compete for both grid capacity and suitable sites. As projects advance, land with the necessary planning, technical and wind characteristics within these areas could become increasingly important to investors.
Previously developed land has been given an explicit role in the selection process. Projects where at least 70% of the proposed site qualifies as brownfield can receive 10% of the total evaluation score. This could improve the prospects for former industrial sites capable of accommodating energy infrastructure.
Battery storage will also influence the competition. Wind remains the principal technology, with applications requiring at least 14 MVA of grid capacity and a minimum 14 MW of installed wind generation. Developers can combine their projects with battery storage within the limits established by the tender, while the proportion of storage included in a proposal accounts for 15% of its evaluation score.
The tender therefore encourages projects that go beyond standalone wind generation. Combining turbines with storage could help developers improve their competitive position while creating additional investment requirements for batteries, electrical equipment and supporting infrastructure.
Grid costs will vary significantly between locations. At several of the connection points, successful bidders will be required to construct specified network infrastructure and subsequently transfer it to the relevant grid operator without compensation. Developers will consequently need to consider these infrastructure obligations when comparing the economics of individual sites.
Local financial commitments are another major component. Upfront contributions to municipalities account for 20% of the scoring system, while continuing payments linked to electricity production represent another 15%. Together, these measures make the financial relationship between developers and host communities one of the most influential elements of the competition.
Other criteria include installing more generating capacity than the grid capacity requested, accepting a partial allocation, providing a higher performance guarantee, sharing connection infrastructure with another successful applicant and using qualifying EU-manufactured equipment.
The final tender notably does not award points according to how advanced a project already is. An earlier consultation version considered elements such as feasibility work, business planning, land rights, environmental approvals and wind measurements. These have been removed from the final scoring structure, leaving developers to compete according to the published financial, technical, location and equipment criteria.
The ownership requirements are also significant for investors. Applicants must use a Hungarian project company established specifically for the proposed development. A single corporate group can secure no more than 200 MVA across the programme and no more than 100 MVA at any individual connection point.
Successful applicants must additionally agree to provide a 25% purchase option in their project company to a renewable energy community designated by the Hungarian government, subject to the conditions established by the tender. The option can be exercised within two years after the regulatory decision granting the grid connection becomes final.
Financial security requirements are substantial. Each application carries a HUF 3 million participation fee. Developers must also provide a bid guarantee calculated at 0.5% of the benchmark investment value, followed by a performance guarantee of at least 2.5% for successful projects. Bidders can commit to a higher performance guarantee in return for additional evaluation points.
For wind generation, the benchmark used for calculating these guarantees is HUF 406 million per MW of installed capacity, while battery storage is assessed at HUF 200 million per MWh.
The tender is therefore more than an allocation of electricity-network capacity. It establishes where a substantial part of Hungary’s next generation of wind investment could be concentrated and creates new considerations for land acquisition, brownfield redevelopment, storage development and electricity infrastructure.
With 702 MVA being allocated and grid access extending into the next decade, the process could begin shaping investment decisions well before the first new turbines become operational. For developers, however, securing capacity will require balancing land strategy and project economics with local financial commitments, grid infrastructure obligations, ownership requirements and significant financial guarantees.
Source: CMS
