Hungary has opened a new tender for wind farm grid connections, offering developers 702 MVA of combined network capacity as the country seeks to restart wind investment after years of limited development.
Energy regulator MEKH will accept applications until 30 October, with results expected by 13 December.
Capacity is being offered across nine connection points in six districts, including locations around Acs, Dunaujvaros, Ivancsa, Kisber, Komarom, Ocsa and Szekesfehervar, with three points in the Szombathely area.
Winning capacity will not translate into near-term generation.
New projects will not be able to connect before 30 September 2030, while successful developers must complete connection by 30 September 2032.
The four-to-six-year delivery horizon means the tender should be viewed primarily as a medium-term capacity pipeline rather than an immediate response to Hungary’s current power deficit.
Development conditions are also relatively restrictive.
Projects must be located on brownfield sites, while wind farm owners will be required to make annual financial contributions to municipalities hosting the installations.
Successful bidders must also accept shared grid infrastructure. Connection points and associated producer transmission lines may have to be shared with another awarded project.
The tender nevertheless represents a significant reopening of Hungary’s wind market and could gradually diversify a power system currently dominated by nuclear, solar and imported electricity.
For developers, the primary constraints will now shift from access to the tender itself towards site selection, grid-sharing arrangements and the long interval before commercial connection becomes available.
