Hungary has launched a tender for 702 MVA of grid connection capacity reserved for new wind projects. The allocation is intended to restart a wind pipeline that has been largely frozen while photovoltaic additions have expanded.
Energy regulator MEKH is offering the capacity at nine network nodes across six districts. Applications are due by Oct. 30, with awards expected by Dec. 13. The earliest possible connection date is Sept. 30, 2030.
Connection timeline and tender requirements
Successful projects must complete their grid connections by September 2032. The tender is described as significant because Hungary has added large volumes of photovoltaic capacity in recent years. Wind development has remained limited due to regulatory and siting restrictions.
The resulting renewable mix has become increasingly solar-heavy. Solar generation has helped reduce daytime wholesale prices, while also contributing to wider differences between midday and evening power values.
Role of wind in the generation profile
The tender framework links wind’s potential contribution to a different production profile. Output from wind is described as less concentrated around daylight hours than solar generation. That profile could affect price patterns by changing supply timing.
Hungary’s electricity system is particularly exposed to evening scarcity. Recent day-ahead trading has shown low or moderate midday prices followed by evening peaks above €250/MWh. Solar can cover substantial daytime demand but falls rapidly after sunset.
Grid access constraints and scoring factors
The tender also reflects a broader shift in renewable investment across Central and Southeast Europe, where grid access is increasingly the main constraint on new projects. Hungary’s network operator must integrate rapidly growing solar generation, planned battery systems, industrial demand and future wind while maintaining stability around the country’s nuclear-heavy baseload system.
The new allocation attaches value directly to scarce network capacity. Developers are expected to meet conditions covering brownfield development, local-community obligations and shared grid infrastructure. Some scoring elements favour storage and European-sourced equipment.
The design could encourage wind projects to include batteries from the development stage rather than treating storage as a later addition. This aligns with planned battery systems referenced in the tender context.
Market implications and related system developments
The 702 MVA tender is not expected to address short-term supply tightness because projects cannot connect before 2030. It is instead positioned as an indicator of how the government expects the generation mix to change during the next decade.
Hungary is expanding battery storage and maintaining nuclear generation at Paks while preparing the longer-term Paks II project. Wind would add another layer of diversification within that broader system buildout. For developers, limited wind development has kept competition lower than in solar, though permitting, financing and equipment risks remain before construction.
The tender’s significance is also linked to its message to investors after years in which Hungary’s renewable expansion was dominated overwhelmingly by solar. By reserving meaningful grid capacity for wind, it could support a more balanced renewable portfolio after 2030.
