Electricity Import Dependence and Structural Vulnerability in Hungary: A Descriptive Indicator-Based Assessment

This study examines the structural drivers of Hungary’s electricity import dependence and assesses how domestic generation, regional trade exposure, and system-level constraints shape electricity security. The analysis combines a targeted literature review with secondary electricity-system data and applies four indicators: the electricity import dependence ratio, the self-sufficiency ratio, the Herfindahl–Hirschman import concentration index, and a normalized Shannon diversification index. The electricity import dependence ratio declined from 30.5% in 2019 to 20.5% in 2025, while the self-sufficiency ratio increased from 77.5% to 85.9%. In contrast, the import concentration index increased from 0.338 to 0.471 across comparable January–September periods, and the three largest import partners accounted for 93.75% of imports during January–September 2025. These findings indicate that lower aggregate import dependence coexisted with persistent import-side exposure due to high corridor concentration and only modest diversification of annual domestic generation output. In the selected regional comparison, Hungary remained among the more import-exposed electricity systems. Greater flexibility, storage, grid modernization, and import-corridor diversification are therefore relevant priorities for strengthening electricity security.