Hungary cuts evening electricity demand by 700 MW through voluntary savings

Economy and Energy Minister István Kapitány announced that Hungary’s electricity demand during the Sunday evening peak was 700 MW lower than forecast, with the load at 5,700 MW instead of the expected 6,400 MW. He said the reduction equals more than one full block of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant and was achieved through a nationwide appeal for households and businesses to curb consumption.

Over 300 companies pledged a voluntary cut of about 400 MW, and another 270 firms are expected to join, while state enterprises and local authorities have also reduced usage. The minister highlighted personal stories of families turning off lights, playing board games, and seniors spending evenings outdoors, underscoring broad public participation.

In parallel, the 4iG Group, which operates critical digital and telecommunications infrastructure, introduced its own energy‑saving measures. It halted on‑site work during peak hours (17:00‑07:00), switched off central cooling, lighting and non‑essential equipment in its offices, and reduced power use at data‑center sites and in its defence‑industry plants. These corporate actions complement the government’s call for reduced consumption as the Paks plant faces possible shutdown due to historically low Danube water levels.