Veolia, a French utility company, has recently acquired a 430-megawatt gas-fired power plant in Hungary from Uniper, a German energy firm. The power plant is located in Göny?, in north-west Hungary, and is considered the most modern and efficient in the country. It plays a crucial role in regulating and balancing the Hungarian power grid, thanks to cutting-edge technologies that make its production capacities flexible.
This acquisition further strengthens Veolia’s position as a European leader in the energy market. Their portfolio now represents a volume of 2.4 gigawatts of managed flexible electrical energy, equivalent to the energy needs of approximately 2.6 million inhabitants.
As Europe’s energy mix evolves towards more renewables and intermittent production, demand for ancillary services—especially electrical flexibility—continues to grow. Operators with cutting-edge digital expertise are essential to aggregate the production capacity of multiple power generation units and provide the grid with flexible energy volumes that can be introduced or withdrawn as needed.
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Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia’s Chief Executive Officer, emphasized that this agreement aligns with their ambitions to develop flexibility capacities—an essential complement to the stability of the European power grid. As a long-standing player in the Hungarian energy market, Veolia is delighted to widen its footprint and contribute to reinforcing the resilience of the local power system.
Over the past decade, Europe has been shifting towards renewable energy sources for electricity generation, with wind and solar energy being the main drivers of this transition. In 2021, renewables accounted for 19% of the EU’s electricity generation.
This shift towards renewables is essential for achieving the EU’s energy and climate objectives, reinforcing affordability, security, and sustainability in Europe’s energy sector.
The latest “EU Energy in Figures” energy statistical pocketbook highlights the global leadership of the EU in renewables. In 2021, 17.7% of the EU’s energy mix was made up of renewables and biofuels, a significant increase from 6.4% in 2000.
Wind and solar power play a crucial role in ensuring that coal is phased out by 2030, replacing closing nuclear power plants, and meeting rising electricity demand from electric cars, heat pumps, and electrolysers.
Strengthening Veolia’s Position
The power plant, located in Göny?, north-west Hungary, boasts an impressive installed capacity of approximately 430 megawatts. As the most modern and efficient gas-fired combined-cycle power plant in the country, it plays a crucial role in regulating and balancing the Hungarian power grid. What sets this facility apart are its cutting-edge technologies that make its production capacities highly flexible.
With this acquisition, Veolia continues to strengthen its position as the European leader in the promising and strategic market of electrical flexibility. The company’s portfolio now represents an impressive volume of 2.4 gigawatts of managed flexible electrical energy—equivalent to the energy needs of approximately 2.6 million inhabitants.
As Europe’s energy mix evolves toward greater reliance on renewables and intermittent production, demand for ancillary services—especially electrical flexibility—continues to grow. Balancing power grids requires enhanced electricity interconnection and operators with cutting-edge digital expertise. These operators aggregate the production capacity of multiple power generation units, providing the grid with flexible.