Ukrenergo, the state electricity transmission system operator of Ukraine and the sole operator of the country’s high-voltage transmission lines announced that Ukraine had resumed electricity trading with Hungary after a break of over a year. “On February 22, Ukrenergo conducted its inaugural joint auctions to allocate access to the interconnectors linking Ukraine and Hungary on the European universal distribution platform JAO (Joint Allocation Office). This marks the commencement of commercial electricity exchange under European regulations with one more EU member state,” the operator stated.
At present, Ukrainian electricity exports are reaching Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, and Moldova. Ukrenergo has gauged the total volume at 2,793 megawatts per hour. Imports are slated for mornings and evenings from Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania, along with nighttime imports from Moldova, totalling 1,018 megawatts per hour.
Ukraine’s electricity operator earlier announced the plan to resume commercial electricity exchange with Hungary on February 8. At that time, the company stated that commercial electricity exchange with Hungary had not taken place since 2022, specifying that the transition to European electricity trading rules allowed for the restoration of this direction. Additionally, joint auctions with Slovakia are expected to resume in March.
Additionally, on Friday, February 23, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, announced that the Ukrainian government has decided to open a new border crossing point with Hungary and expand the operation of another, allowing empty trucks to exit. He explained that the Ukrainian government has decided to inaugurate a new border crossing point with Hungary — “Velyka Palad – Nagyhódos” This new point will cater to passenger cars, aiming to alleviate queues and facilitate smoother border crossings for Ukrainian citizens. Furthermore, an agreement has been reached with Hungary to extend the operations of another border crossing point — “Luzhanka – Beregsurány”. This expansion means that empty trucks can now exit without weight restrictions, and passenger as well as cargo vehicles weighing up to 7.5 tons will also be permitted to pass through.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is currently holding an out-of-office meeting in the Lviv region, as instructed by the President on February 23. One of the primary topics under discussion is the situation regarding the blockade on a Polish-Ukrainian border. Shmyhal stated that the government is preparing “clear steps and specific proposals” and plans to engage in a pragmatic dialogue with the Polish side, declaring that Ukraine is ready for “reasonable compromises.”
