Hungarian state-owned utility MVM has begun foundation work on a new 1,000 MW combined-cycle gas-fired power plant at the former Tisza II site in Tiszaujvaros. The project is described as a 1 GW development for dispatchable generation and system balancing as Hungary adds more variable renewable electricity.
The plant is planned to include two units of approximately 499 MW each. Together, the units are intended to provide balancing capacity alongside dispatchable output during periods when renewable generation varies.
Project delivery timeline and equipment selection
Testing and commercial operation of the first unit are planned for the third quarter of 2029. The second unit is scheduled to reach testing and commercial operation in the first quarter of 2030.
Calik Enerji Swiss and Ansaldo Energia were selected to deliver the project and provide major equipment. Construction activity is currently focused on foundations designed to support the plant’s turbines and generators.
Work on foundations is expected to continue through the current phase, with activity anticipated to accelerate from 2027. The schedule aligns with the planned commissioning windows for both generating units.
Role in balancing amid solar expansion
The project is positioned as strategically significant for Hungary due to rapid solar expansion. The growth in solar generation is creating increasingly large differences between daytime and evening power balances.
A flexible gas plant of 1 GW would add capacity during low-renewable periods. It is also intended to support balancing requirements when solar output falls quickly.
Hungary’s extensive gas-storage infrastructure provides a domestic flexibility advantage for the project. Long-term economics are described as remaining linked to gas, carbon, and electricity-price spreads.
