Hungarian gas grid operator FGSZ and Romania’s Transgaz have reached an agreement to increase the technical capacity of the Csanadpalota interconnector, FGSZ announced.
Effective 1 April 2026, the technical capacity in both directions of the RO-HU interconnection will rise from 310,000 cubic meters per hour to 320,000 cubic meters per hour. In energy terms, the flow from Romania to Hungary will increase to approximately 3.5 million kilowatt hours per hour, while the flow from Hungary to Romania will reach 3.47 million kWh/h.
The transmission system operators view this as a significant milestone for the Vertical Corridor initiative. The Vertical Corridor is a strategic project designed to facilitate the movement of alternative natural gas from Southern sources into Central and Eastern Europe.
The newly available capacity will be offered to the market as a monthly product during the upcoming auction on 16 March 2026. Subsequent capacity will be made available in accordance with the standard European capacity allocation calendar.
“This small-scale development represents a further milestone in advancing the Vertical Corridor initiative, which serves to improve the CEE region’s access to alternative natural gas sources from the south” wrote FGSZ regarding the decision. “At FGSZ, we are constantly seeking natural gas infrastructure optimisation opportunities that allow us to contribute to making the region’s energy supply more flexible, diversified, and resilient. With additional developments to be carried out primarily on the Romanian side, capacity at the Romanian-Hungarian border point is expected to increase further in the coming years.”
(ceenergynews.com, March 9, 2026)
