by Liz Battocletti,

Bob Lawrence & Associates, Inc.

Geothermal

Resources

in Hungary
Prepared for Idaho National Engineering

 & Environmental Laboratory

Under Purchase Order No. F99-181039

And the U.S. Department of Energy,

Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency

 & Renewable Energy,

Office of Geothermal & Wind Technologies

Under DOE Idaho Operations Office

Contract DE-AC07-99ID13727

July 2000

by Liz Battocletti,

Bob Lawrence & Associates, Inc.

Geothermal

Resources

in Hungary
Geothermal Resources in Hungary July 2000

This information was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the U.S. Government. Neither the U.S.

Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any

legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or

process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific

commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily

constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Government or any agency thereof. The

views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or any

agency thereof.

Disclaimer
Geothermal Resources in Hungary July 2000

INTRODUCTION ................................. 1

HUNGARY ...................................... 3

Power Profile .............................. 3

Power Summary ............................ 3

Government / Legislation .................... 8

Maps .................................... 16

Geothermal Sites / Projects ................. 18

Table .................................... 24

CONCLUSION .................................. 59

INDEX OF SITES ................................ 60

BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................ 62

Table of Contents
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 1

The Database of Geothermal Resources in Hungary

contains information on 74 specific geothermal sites or

projects. It was compiled using information collected in

an extensive data and Internet search which accessed

technical literature dating back to 1972 as well as

numerous other U.S. and Hungarian sources. 

Resource temperatures range from a low of 10oC at Héviz

to a high of 254oC at Fábiánsebestyén (the bottomhole SiO2

temperature of Fábiánsebestyén-4). Hungary has seven

sites with a temperature of at least 100oC as follows:

PROJECT NAME TEMPERATURE (oC)

Szentes 72-143

Szarvas 82-154

Álmosd 93-143

Mélykút-Pusztamérges 108-110

Oros 142-167

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén 150-254

Algyõ 156

For immediate dissemination to the industry, the report

has been converted to a PDF file.1

The Database includes:

• Power Profile - basic information on Hungary, e.g.,

population, GDP, installed capacity, electricity

prices, etc.;

• Power Summary - description of Hungary’s power

sector and privatization efforts; 

• Government / Legislation - relevant Hungarian

government agencies and laws; and 

• Geothermal Sites / Projects - includes a Site

Summary for each:

1. Name

2. Location

3. Status

1 PDF files can be read and printed using the free

Adobe® Acrobat® Reader which can be

downloaded at

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.ht

ml.

Introduction
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 2

4. Temperature

5. Installed Capacity (MWe/MWt)

6. Potential (MWe/MWt)

7. Chronology

8. Notes

Dynamic Database

The Database was designed to be dynamic. Created using

Microsoft® Access 2000, it can be easily updated or

modified to include specific data which the industry

would find most useful. In addition, the Database can be

made more comprehensive by adding pertinent data, e.g.,

local population and market data, location of transmission

lines and roads, etc., using the Geographic Information

System (GIS), to the present structure. Finally, the

Database could be adapted for posting on the World Wide

Web and searched using a variety of variables such as

country, desired temperature of resource, estimated power

potential, and other parameters. 

The Database of Geothermal Resources in Hungary

was compiled and built by Liz Battocletti of Bob

Lawrence & Associates, Inc. for Bechtel BWXT Idaho,

L.L.C. (BBWI) under Purchase Order Number F99-

181039, “Collection and Assembly of Published Data on

Geothermal Potential.” 

Thanks goes to Joel Renner of Idaho National Engineering

and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL); Allan Jelacic and

Dr. Marshall Reed of the U.S. Department of Energy’s

Office of Geothermal and Wind Technologies; and the

other individuals, companies, and organizations who

provided assistance and information. 

Special appreciation goes to Miklós Árpási, president of

the Hungarian Geothermal Association; Ferenc J.

Horváth, Acting CEO, Hungarian Energy Office; Sándor

Geszti, Commercial Specialist for the U.S. Commercial

Service, U.S. Embassy Budapest; and Paul Teleki,

consultant to the World Bank.

Cover photographs are provided courtesy of Péter Csonka,

“Gémeskút” (a well in Örség)2, and the Hungarian

Geothermal Association, “Gozkiaramlas.”3

2 Web site: 

http://www.uta.fi/~lopecs/photos/hungary/hungary.h

tml.

3 Web site: http://www.deltasoft.hu/mgte/indexa.htm.
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 3

Hungary

Power Profile

Population (millions) - July 1999 estimated 10.19

Overall Electrification (% of population) 99%

GDP (billion US$) - 1998 estimated $75.4

Real GDP Growth Rate - 1998 estimated 5.0%

Inflation Rate (CPI) - 1998 estimated 14.0%

Total Installed Capacity (MWe) - January 2000 7,903

Electricity Consumption per Capita (kWh) - 1999 3,303

Energy Demand Growth Rate 1.6%

Prices (US¢/kWh) -January 2000

Average producers price

Average wholesale price

Average end-user price a)

Average residential tariff

Average non-residential tariff b)

a) Including supplementary fees

b) Excluding supplementary fees

Source: Hungarian Energy Office

0.031

0.034

0.053

0.060

0.051

Geothermal Power Potential (MWe) 72

Power Summary

Located in the heart of Europe, the Republic of Hungary

(“Hungary”), is strategically located astride main land

routes between Western Europe and the Balkan Peninsula,

and the Ukrainian and Mediterranean basins. Landlocked,

it shares borders with Ukraine and Romania to the east,

Slovenia and Austria to the west, the Slovak Republic to

the north, and Croatia and Yugoslavia (Serbia) to the

south. 

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the

break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, Hungary has

developed increasingly close political and economic ties

to the West.4

4 Hungary’s first free multi-party election was held in

March 1990 after a peaceful transition in which the

Hungarian Socialist Workers Party (as the

Communist Party was then called) voluntarily

abdicated its monopoly of political power, once

Gorbachev let it be understood that the Soviet Union

would not interfere. The election initiated the

restoration of the country’s market economy and

West-European orientation

(http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/spalffy/h_hist.htm#c

Hungary
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 4

Hungary joined the Organisation for Economic

Cooperation and Development (OECD) in May 1996,

became a member of the OECD’s International Energy

Agency (IEA) in 1997, joined the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization (NATO) in March 1999, and is a founding

member of the World Trade Organization. 

In 1994, Hungary became the first former communist

country to apply for full membership in the European

Union (EU), and is on the accession fast track. While the

country’s exact accession date is uncertain, it most likely

will be in 2003-2004.

Admission to the EU is a key driver behind the 

Government of Hungary’s (GOH) 1999 National Energy

Strategy, and affects the country’s power generation

system in two basic respects: compatibility in the field of

environmental protection and compatibility of technical

standards. 

Air pollution is the most significant environmental issue

facing the energy sector. Approximately 44% of the

Hungarian population lives in areas that do not comply

with national air quality standards. A significant

contributor to air pollution is the abundant use of high

sulfur, low calorific value, domestic coal and lignite,

which are major source of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Until the

early 1980s, vast quantities of soot were poured into the

atmosphere, but this was reduced by two-thirds as a result

of extensive filter installations. 

Hungary has signed a number of international agreements

and accords on the environment, including the United

Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, EU,

and other agreements to control trans-boundary emissions. 

Under these agreements, Hungary must reduce its CO2

emissions by 4 million metric tons per year (Bobok et al.,

1998). 

Presently, Hungary depends on traditional, non-renewable

sources of energy for nearly all of its electrical power

needs. All power plants are either fossil fuel or nuclear,

with the exception of three small hydroelectric plants on

the Tisza River in eastern Hungary. In addition to

electric power generation, almost all Hungarian public

power plants also supply heat, providing two-thirds of

total heat demand of Hungary’s district heating and

industrial use needs.

As of January 2000, Hungary had an installed capacity of

7,903 MWe (up from 7,845 MWe in 1999). 

Approximately 7,300 MWe is generated by public power

plants; the remainder by industrial power plants. Oil and

gas accounted for 48% of total installed capacity, coal for 

25%, nuclear for 24%, autoproducers for 2%, and hydro

for a scant 1%. 

The GOH privatized most of its generation capacity and

local power distribution in the 1990s. A former

ontents).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 5

monopoly, the state-owned Hungarian Power Companies,

Ltd. (MVM Rt.) is responsible for the export, import,

wholesale, high voltage transmission, and dispatching of

electricity generated by independent power plants and the

state-owned Paks Nuclear Power Plant. In the oil and gas

sector, the 25% state-owned Hungarian Oil and Gas

Company (MOL) has a monopoly on gas and oil

exploration, transmission, stockpiling, and wholesale

trade. 

Nuclear power, produced by the Paks Nuclear Power Plant

in southwestern Hungary, generates 40% of the country’s

electricity.5 Paks has four Soviet- designed vver-440/213

pressurized light-water reactors which were put into

operation between 1982 and 1987 and are designed to

operate for 30 years. Currently, Paks is looking into a

program that could extend the reactors’ service life by 10

years. Paks is state-owned and operated. 

The remaining 60% of Hungary’s electricity is produced

by coal, oil, or gas-fired power plants. 

Renewable energy resources currently supply only 3.6%

of Hungary’s primary energy needs (which includes

district heat and hot water) in contrast with a world

average of 11%. Among renewable energy resources, the

geothermal and wind energy sectors’ potential are

considered the highest (Geszti, 2000) 

Following EU directives, the country’s share of renewable

energy must be increased to 12% by 2010. Hungary is

first concentrating, however, on modifying and upgrading

existing technologies; either making them clean enough to

meet EU standards or replacing them with cleaner,

existing energy technologies. With the exception of one

coal-fired plant in northern Hungary, all coal plants will

be converted to gas or shut down.6 

Natural gas reserves are about 3.4 trillion cubic feet

(TCF). In 1997, natural gas production was 155 billion

cubic feet (BCF). To meet the domestic demand of

approximately 431 BCF, Hungary imports 85% of its

natural gas from the Russian Gazprom consortium. The

bulk of the natural gas in Hungary is typically piped

straight into homes and businesses for heating. It is

estimated that natural gas production in 2010 will decline

approximately 30% from 1997 levels, while natural gas

demand is expected to increase by approximately 20%. 

Natural gas prices increased by 12% on 1 July 2000. 

5 EU safety experts have indicated that Paks is as safe

as western nuclear power plants and will comply

with EU standards by 2002. Paks has had an

excellent safety record and has been ranked in the

top 10% of reactors worldwide.

6

It is estimated that converting a 200 MWe coal to

gas turbines takes two years at a cost of $60-$80

million for the equipment (U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Fossil Energy).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 6

Hungary’s energy intensity (the energy needed to produce

US$1 GDP) is three times that of Japan and four times the

EU average. The high energy-to-income ratio and 50%

import dependence make the country vulnerable to any

energy price shocks. Restructuring the product mix,

increasing the share of high added value items in

industrial production, and increasing the share of the

service sector may improve Hungary’s energy intensity

indicator (Jászay, 1997). 

Energy consumption in Hungary peaked in the late 1980s,

at 30 Mtoe/year, almost equal to the per capita demand of

Japan. After several years of decline, electricity

consumption increased in 1995, by 2.5%, but this trend is

very modest. 

According to an MVM Rt. forecast based on

micro-economic studies for the period 1996-2010, the

average gross electricity demand will increase by 1.6%

annually in the next 15 years. Forecasted gross electricity

consumption rates by 2015 range from 45 to 50 TWh.

Hungary’s power stations have 38.5% excess capacity

(Ministry of Economic Affairs). The average age of

power generation equipment and installations in Hungary

is over 20 years. One-third of the present generating

capacity will be replaced in the next 10-15 years at a total

cost of $5 billion (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1999). 

Most of the currently tendered projects will come on-line

between 2002 and 2006; 12 projects totaling 1,696 MWe

are underway, mostly to replace retired units. 

Hungary and the United States have close economic and

political ties. The U.S. is Hungary’s fifth largest trade

partner with more than $1 billion in U.S. exports annually.

U.S. products are considered to be of high quality, but

expensive. The main competitors to U.S. companies are

European, especially German suppliers, which often offer

better prices, credit, and financing terms. Once Hungary

enters the EU, all power generating equipment imported

from EU countries will enter Hungary duty free; U.S.

exports will face an average of 5-10% duty (Geszti, 1996). 

The U.S. Government has many programs designed to

promote the development of Hungary as a market for U.S.

goods and services. 

Last December, the U.S. Department of Commerce led a

power generation trade mission to Hungary, Poland, and

the Czech Republic. A follow-up clean energy trade

mission, was planned for the same three countries 28

September-5 October 2000. Due to unforseen

circumstances involving return on investment for electric
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 7

power in Hungary, however, the mission was limited to

Poland and the Czech Republic.7

The Export Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im

Bank) and Overseas Private Investment Corporation

(OPIC) offer financing and insurance in Hungary. As in

other European countries, the “Build, Operate, Own and

Transfer” (BOOT) financing structure is accepted. Also,

the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) can

provide feasibility study grants for potential renewable

energy projects.

Economic prosperity has not reached areas in Eastern

Hungary. The U.S.-Eastern Hungary Partnership is

intended to draw the attention of U.S. companies and

entrepreneurs to Eastern Hungary’s skilled workforce,

attractive manufacturing sites, and proximity to

neighboring countries. Offices are open in Debrecen,

Nyiregyhaza, and Miskolc to coordinate the effort. 

Under the South-East Europe Reconstruction Credit

Initiative signed in May 2000, Ex-Im Bank and the

Hungarian Export-Import Bank are working together to

provide low-cost financing to U.S., Hungarian, and

Southern European businesses. The agreement

specifically targets efforts to promote environmentally

beneficial projects and financing for small and

medium-sized businesses. 

Under the terms of the Credit Initiative, the banks will

work together to identify projects for joint support.

Financing enhancements under the program include:

• The maximum allowable OECD repayment

terms,

• Capitalization of interest during

construction, and

• Local cost coverage equal to 15% of the

U.S. contract price. 

Another USG program is EcoLinks. Funded by the U.S.

Agency for International Development (USAID),

EcoLinks seeks practical, market-based solutions to

industrial and urban environmental problems in Central

and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States

(CEE/NIS) by promoting partnerships and issuing grants. 

EcoLinks Partnership Grants are competitively awarded,

cost-sharing grants which support both short-term and

long-term partnerships among businesses, local

governments and associations to solve urban and

industrial environmental problems in CEE/NIS. The

grants must be jointly managed by partners from the US

and CEE/NIS, or within the CEE/NIS itself. 

7 The Hungarian Government decided to maximize

the wholesale price increase of natural gas and

electricity in order to keep inflation down. This

decision goes against current energy legislation

which guarantees an 8% return on invested assets to

foreign investors in the sector (Andrew Collier, U.S.

Department of Commerce).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 8

Challenge Grants of up to $50,000 support one-year

partnership projects or activities that address specific

urban and industrial environmental problems. Twinning

Grants of up to $250,000 support two-year cooperative

projects that address environmental problems and also

lead to lasting partnerships. These grants will be

introduced at the end of 2000. 

In addition to the grants, EcoLinks also offers Quick

Response Awards (QRAs) of up to $5,000. QRAs are

designed to meet the immediate and small-scale needs of

organizations exploring potential partnerships within the

framework of EcoLinks. Activities must either facilitate

the matchmaking of potential partners or promote

environmental trade and investment. 

Finally, Hungary is a member of the European Bank for

Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The GOH no

longer requires financial assistance from the International

Monetary Fund (IMF), and has repaid its IMF debt. 

Hungary’s borrowing from the World Bank has been

conservative, primarily to support the country’s pension

and higher education reform projects.

Government / Legislation

Hungary has a well-developed and partially privatized

energy system, and an energy policy which is focused on

achieving EU accession. The previously centrally

controlled, vertically integrated electricity sector has been

reorganized into a three-tier structure with generation,

transmission, and distribution activities separate. 

From 1963-1991, electric power generation in Hungary

was controlled by the State through the monopolistic

MVM Rt. which directed all activities related to the

generation, wholesale and retail trade, transmission, and

distribution of electricity. 

In 1992, MVM Rt. was reorganized into a two-tier

company structure. The upper tier, which remained MVM

Rt, manages all electricity trade, and owns and operates

the high voltage transmission grid and dispatching center.

It purchases power from electricity generating companies

and sells it to smaller distribution companies.

The second tier of the utility system includes eight

generating companies, six regional distribution

companies; and the National Power Line Company Ltd.

(“Országos Villamostávvezeték Rt.” [OVIT]). With the

exception of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant and OVIT,

which remain majority-owned by MVM Rt., generating

and distribution companies have been privatized. 

Adopted by the Hungarian National Assembly in 1993,

the primary objectives of the country’s energy policy are

to:

• develop diverse energy supplies and

eliminate dependency on imports from the

former Soviet Union,
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 9

• improve environmental protection, 

• increase energy efficiency through

modernization of supply structures and

better management of electricity

consumption, and

• attract foreign capital for investment in

capital-intensive energy projects. 

The policy also provides for the gradual contraction of the

coal mining industry by merging coal mines that supply

coal to power companies.8

The next step in Hungry’s restructuring of the electricity

sector is the establishment of a free market-based energy

system which will:

• increase the choice of suppliers;

• intensify competition for consumers;

• relieve the present system’s upward pressure

on prices, and in the long run to achieve a

reduction of the prices and thus enhance the

competitiveness of the economy;

• enhance the security of supply through the

connection to the single European energy

market;

• reduce suppliers’ and service providers’

present monopolies to the level of

natural/technical monopolies; and

• introduce free market trading, based on

business considerations, in energy without

any governmental guarantees.

Beginning 1 January 2001, an experimental market

opening of about 10% will be introduced in Hungary’s

domestic electricity market. Opening up the market will

allow eligible consumers to choose their supplier, i.e. they

will be able to purchase electric energy or natural gas

directly from any producer or trader.9 Liberalization of

import and export rights is planned to take place

simultaneously with the country’s accession to the EU. 

Also on 1 January 2001, the National Transmission Line

Company (“Nemzeti Távvezeték Társaság”),

incorporating the present transmission network and OVIT,

will be established. 

8 The Hungarian coal industry has opposed the

GOH’s plan to phase out coal power plants. In

December 1999, over 2,000 coal miners gathered in

Budapest to protest the plan.

9 Hungary’s gas industry, due to its significant

dependence on imports and the rapid increase of gas

consumption, will only be fully opened up to market

forces at the time of accession to the EU. 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 10

Lastly, an Independent System Operator (ISO) will be

created by merging the National Load Distribution Center

and the Regional Dispatching Services into a non-profit

company under the direction of the Ministry of Economic

Affairs. The ISO will exercise technical control of the

electrical power system. The legal status, financing, and

asset ownership of this organization remain to be clarified.

Currently, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (GM), the

Hungarian Energy Office (MEH), and the Hungarian

Power Companies, Ltd. (MVM Rt.) are the key

organizations responsible for the planning and

development of electric power projects in Hungary. 

Brief descriptions are also included on the Ministry of

Agriculture and Food, the Hungarian Oil and Gas

Company (MOL Rt.), the Investment and Trade

Development Agency (ITDH), and the Water Resources

Research Center (VITUKI). 

A brief listing of the relevant legislation and regulations

regarding Hungary’s electric sector in general and

geothermal resource development in particular is also

included in the following section.

Ministry of Economic Affairs (Magyar Köztársaság

Gazdasági Minisztériuma [GM])

The Ministry of Economic Affairs oversees the Hungarian

Energy Office, which was established by the Electricity

Act of 1994 to regulate Hungary’s energy market. The

Ministry has full control over electricity and gas prices

and determines the least quantity of the types of energy to

be stockpiled by power plants with an installed capacity of

50 MWe or more.

The first stop for a foreign investor in renewable energy is

the GM’s Energy Affairs Department which is in charge

of energy policy and can give a broad overview of the

development of the sector (Geszti, 2000).

GM Decree 74/1999 outlines “Purchase Obligation

Regarding Electricity Produced with Geothermal Energy.”

 

Hungarian Energy Office (“Magyar Energia Hivatal”

[MEH])

The Hungarian Energy Office is responsible for licensing

electric production, transport, and supply facilities;

satisfying customer demands; and ensuring standards of

service. MEH is in charge of permits for all power

projects over 50 MWe. Application for preliminary

licensing may be submitted exclusively on the basis of a

feasibility study. Public power plants with an installed

capacity of 20 MWe or less do not require operating

licenses.

The Energy Office develops the detailed rules of price

setting and price application. Prices are determined and

promulgated by decree by the Minister of Economic

Affairs. The Energy Office reviews the price level and the

price upon the request of any concerned party and
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 11

publishes the results of the procedure.10 The price of

steam sold by an electric plant not generating electricity

committed for public utility purposes is set by

representatives of the relevant municipality rather than the

MEH.

Contact:

Mr. Ferenc J. Horváth

Acting CEO

Hungarian Energy Office

Köztársaság tér 7.

PO Box 247

H-1081 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: [36] (1) 334-7777

Fax: [36] (1) 334-1330

Email: horvathjf@eh.gov.hu

Web site: http://www.gm.hu/gm/meh/index.htm

Hungarian Power Companies, Ltd. (“Magyar Villamos

Müvek Reszvenytarsag” [MVM Rt.])

It is MVM Rt.’s responsibility to ensure the optimal

utilization of power plants and the national grid at the

least cost. Electric utilities are allowed to buy power

directly from power generators but only with the approval

of the Hungarian Energy Office and notification of MVM

Rt. 

Because MVM Rt. buys electricity from generating

companies at different prices that reflect generating costs,

the low-cost nuclear power generated at the Paks Power

Station subsidizes most other generating plants (U.S.

Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, 2000).

Equipment vendors can obtain information about the

status of projects and contact potential investors through

MVM Rt.

Ministry of Agriculture and Food

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is responsible for

the agricultural utilization of geothermal resources. In

addition, the Ministry of Agriculture plans to dedicate a

$2 million fund from the central budget to subsidize new

renewable energy projects. This subsidy system,

considered meager by some Hungarian experts, aims to

help fund projects in the coming years by way of

preferential loans (Geszti, 2000). 

10 During the period of centralized planning,

Hungary’s energy prices were controlled and

relatively very low. The consumer price of

electricity in Hungary is still much lower than the

European and global average, between a and 1⁄2 of

the prices in EU countries. According to the

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Hungary’s energy

prices will be roughly equivalent to those in

Germany by 2005. 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 12

Contact:

Dr. Botond Sinoros Szabó

Director General, 

Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Development

National Regional Development Center

Mikllós tér 1. 

H-1035 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: [36] (1) 250-3417; 387-9400; 368-0428; 368-8815

Fax: [36] (1) 212-0904

Hungarian Oil and Gas Company (MOL Rt.)

MOL Rt. manages the exploration, production, and

utilization of hydrocarbons in Hungary, and is one of the

most aggressive and competitive firms in the country’s

energy sector. Although its monopoly is being challenged

by new foreign-owned energy firms, MOL still handles

66% of all energy resources used in Hungary. After

MOL’s privatization in 1995, the company positioned

itself to remain Hungary’s main petroleum supplier, and

maintains all the country’s oil and natural gas pipelines. 

In addition to dominating the retail fuel market, MOL

supplies all gas- and oil-fired power generators in

Hungary. 

MOL’s Geothermy Project (1995-1999) was created to

determine whether the company’s more than 2,000

abandoned oil and gas wells are suitable for thermal water

production and reinjection. MOL completed prefeasibility studies for three pilot geothermal projects. 

(Additional information is included in the “Geothermal

Sites / Projects” section of this report.)

Investment and Trade Development Agency (ITDH) 

ITDH was established by the Ministry of Economic

Affairs in 1993 to promote international economic

relations and business endeavors which have a direct

impact on the development of the Hungarian economy. 

ITDH’s targeted investment programs currently focus on

greenfield investments with special regard to electronics

and software, automotive parts, and tourism. 

The Hungarian government guarantees the repatriation of

all profits in U.S. dollars. 

Water Resources Research Center (VITUKI)

VITUKI (as a successor of the Hydrographic Department

established in 1886) was founded in 1952 to perform basic

and applied research and studies related to the

development, conservation, and sound management of

Hungary’s water resources. Supported by hydraulic,

hydromachinery, hydrochemical, hydrobiological,

wastewater technological and soil mechanical laboratories,

equipment, instrumentation, computer facilities and

library, VITUKI has emerged as one of the most complex

water-oriented full-service professional organizations of

Europe, and is also engaged in the transformation of
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 13

Hungarian standards and directives related to the water

sector to EU standards. 

Electricity Act of 1994 (Act XLVIII of 1994) on the

Production, Transport, and Supply of Electric Energy

Under the 1994 Electricity Act, power plants sell

electricity to MVM Rt. under long-term contracts. MVM,

with due regard to consumer demand and the necessary

reserves, commissions the capacity of the power stations,

thus paying them a capacity fee for fixed costs and profits.

These capacity commissioning agreements do not make

allowances for any cheaper generating capacity or cheaper

energy that might emerge in the Hungarian or European

markets during the long contract periods.

The Electricity Act of 1994 does not apply to power plants

of less than 50 MWe which produce electricity

exclusively for meeting their own demands. 

Section 34 of the 1994 Electricity Act

Section 34 states that, “The establishment of the small

power plant (less than 50 MWe) and of the direct line is

not an activity subject to licensing. At least one year prior

to the envisaged commissioning of the small power plant

of a capacity of more than 1 MWe, the operator shall

notify the Energy Office of the commissioning and, when

connected to the cooperating electricity system, also the

transmission licence holder, the regionally competent

distribution licence holder and the system operator.”

Section 43 of the 1994 Electricity Act

Section 43 states that, “Purchase of power generated by

use of renewable energy, as well as power generated in

designated power plants may not be refused if its transfer

capacity exceeds 0.1 MWe, if the technical conditions in

uploading are met, and if the price does not exceed the

level determined by the pricing authority.”

1999-2000 Draft Electricity Act

A new Electricity Act was drafted in 1999 to establish the

legal framework for the country’s new free market-based

electricity model. Originally expected to be enacted in

1999, the draft bill was withdrawn for further

modifications. It is scheduled to be considered by the

National Assembly in the Fall 2000 session.

Act XVI of 1991 on Concessions

Under the Concession Act, the exploitation of natural

wealth owned by the Hungarian State may be carried out

as a concession. Concession bids are evaluated on an

individual basis, and the best bidder receives the

concession rights. Concession contracts may be

concluded for up to 35 years. Although not regulated by

the Act, any new geothermal project must include total

water reinjection (Szita, 1995). 

The Concession Act covers national regional public utility

systems, the operation of local public utilities, and
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 14

“mining research and exploitation, and related secondary

mining activities.” 

Act LVII of 1995 on Water Management

The utilization of thermal water is regulated by the Water

Authority through a permit. Any person may obtain a

permit; thermal water wells can be privately owned. Oil

and gas wells, however, are state-owned. The permits

issued by the water authorities provide directions on how

thermal wells are to be drilled and operated, including

what depth-interval is permitted and waste water disposal. 

Well logging techniques are also regulated by law since

all data must be comparable (Ottlik, 1988). 

The Water Management Act does not include the

utilization of geothermal water for energy generation

purposes, and does not deal with the energy content of the

geothermal fluids (Árpási and Szabó, 2000). 

Environment Act of 1995

A part of the Hungarian legal reform program, a new

Environment Act was passed in December 1995. The Act

requires disassembling heavy polluting plants after a

moratorium of eight years and making power generating

companies responsible for providing environmental

information to the public. From 1 January 2004, the new

environmental regulations will also be applied to

operating equipment. Until that date, however, only new

projects have to adhere to the new Act. 

Geothermal Law

Hungary has no geothermal law. The use of geothermal

resources for power generation has no legal basis but

rather a “legal, unregulated status” (Árpási and Szabó,

2000). The GOH discourages geothermal energy use

through “triple taxation” which is imposed on users of

geothermal energy (Árpási and Szabó, 2000).

Hungary’s current legislation is unclear and contradictory

regarding the development of the country’s geothermal

resources:

• The Water Management Act (Act LVII of

1995) does not include the utilization of

thermal waters to produce energy, or deal

with the energy content of thermal waters in

any way.

• The Mining Code (Act XII of 1997)

excludes the exploration and production of

subsurface waters which carry geothermal

energy.

• The Mining Code (Act XII of 1997)

contradicts the Concession Act (Act XVI of

1991) stating that a mining concession

tender cannot be issued for the exploration

of geothermal energy and its production for

power engineering purposes if the project
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 15

also involves the production of thermal

water. 

• The amendment comprising Act XII of 1997

of Act XLVIII of 1993 (Mining Code) is

totally irrelevant from the point of view of

developing geothermal resources for energy

production.

The expedient enactment of an independent Geothermal

Act which provides the legal basis for utilizing geothermal

resources for energy, protects water reserves, and does not

pollute the environment is urgently required. Additionally,

the Concession Act should be modified to include the

development of geothermal resources (Árpási and Szabó,

2000).

Finally, current electricity prices serve as limiting factors

in the further development of geothermal power plants. 

Government subsidies are needed to promote the

development of geothermal resources for power

generation. Since the apparent cost of electricity from

renewable energy sources lies somewhere between two to

five times more than base load coal-generated power, the

GOH’s goal of increasing the share of renewables will

require significant subsidies. Currently, renewable power

costs 50% more than the average wholesale price of

electricity. Further development of the renewable energy

market depends on pricing and subsidies provided by the

central government or local municipalities. This is not

unprecedented in Western Europe, where a certain share

of the power sold by distributors has to be “green” power

by law (Geszti, 2000).

Contacts:

Dr. Miklós Arpási

President, Hungarian Geothermal Association

Lupény u. 3/b.

H-1026 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: [36] (1) 214-2955

Fax: [36] (1) 214-2956; 201-0820

Email: tde@mail.datanet.hu

Web site: http://www.deltasoft.hu/mgte/indexa.htm

Mr. Sándor Geszti

Commercial Specialist, 

U.S. Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Budapest

Szabadsg ter 12

H-1054 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: [36] (1) 475-4378

Fax: [36] (1) 475-4676

Email: sandor.geszti@mail.doc.gov
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 16
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 17

Source: Zentai László, http://lazarus.elte.hu/gb/maps/moteljes.htm
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 18

Geothermal Sites / Projects

For the most part, Central Europe has only low-enthalpy

geothermal resources. Hungary, however, due to its unique

geological position astride the Pannonian Basin, a

“geothermal hot spot,” is the exception to the rule.11 While

all of the country’s geothermal resources developed to

date are low- and medium-enthalpy12, a few high-enthalpy

resources have been discovered. As yet, they remain

undeveloped.

Encircled by the Alps, the Carpathians, and the Dinarides,

the Pannonian Basin extends across nearly all of Hungary

and beyond to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria,

Romania, Croatia, and Yugoslavia (Serbia). The earth’s

crust in this region, and particularly under Hungarian

territory, is thinner than average (~25 km) due to subcrustal erosion.13

As a result of the earth’s thin crust, Hungary’s geothermal

gradient (increase in temperature per unit increase in

depth) is higher than the world average, and reaches as

high as 58.9oC in some spots.14 In places where such high

gradients are present, so-called abnormal or geopressured

reservoir conditions exist (Spencer et al., 1994)

accompanied by high-temperature steam/water phase

brines, analogous to occurrences in the Gulf of Mexico

(Dövényi and Horváth, 1988; Árpási and Szabó, 1999). 

The main source of the geothermal energy in Hungary is

the conductive heat flow which passes from magma

through the sediments to the surface. The average ground

heat flow directed out from the earth’s interior ranges

from 80-100 mW/m2; two times higher than the

continental average. Stratum temperature at a depth of

1,000 m reaches and exceeds 60oC (Andristyák et al.,

1995; Árpási, 1995).

11 There is no volcanic activity in Hungary; the

country is not part of a geothermally anomalous

zone of volcanic origin. The most recent volcanic

activity in the Carpathian basin ended in the late

Pliocene and early Pleistocene (Korim, 1972).

12 Hungary has the largest underground thermal water

reserves and geothermal energy potential of lowand medium-enthalpy in Europe (Boldizsár, 1967;

Bobok, 1988).

13 The thin crust has sunken isostatically, forming a

basin which is filled primarily by tertiary sediments. 

Pannonian sediments are multilayered and

composed of sand, shale, and silt beds. Lower

Pannonian sediments are impermeable; the upper

Pannonian and Quaternary formations contain vast

porous, permeable sand and sandstone beds formed

by the upper Pannonian aquifer — the most

important thermal water resource in Hungary

(Bobok et al., 1998). 

14 The average geothermal gradient is 0.042-

0.066oC/m in Hungary compared to 0.020-

0.033oC/m on the earth in general (Andristyák et al.,

1995; Árpási, 1995).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 19

Two primary types of thermal water reservoirs exist in

Hungary: the Pannonian and the Triassic.

The Pannonian Basin’s largest thermal water resources are

located in the sand and sandstone formations of the

Pliocene age. The individual sandy layers of the upper

Pannonian Basin have thicknesses of 1-30 m. Their

horizontal extension is not too large, but the sand lenses

are interconnected and form an hydraulically unified

system. This upper part of the aquifer has an area of

40,000 km2, an average thickness of 200-300 m, a bulk

porosity of 20-30%, and a permeability of 500-1,500 mD. 

The Pannonian hot water reservoir has an almost uniform

hydrostatic pressure distribution; local recharge or

discharge slightly modifies this pattern. The lower

Pannonian strata mainly include marls, clay marls, and

relatively solid sandstones. Their porosity and

permeability are relatively low. The upper Pannonian

strata consist of sandstone-clay marl groups with high

porosity (20-30%) and significant permeability . About

80% of the country’s geothermal wells produce from the

upper Pannonian reservoir system (Horváth, 1986; Bobok

et al., 1998).

The flow rate of the thermal water wells producing from

Upper Pannonian aquifers ranges from a few hundred to

3,000 l/min. Temperature of the water at the wellhead

reaches 100oC. The majority of thermal waters are

usually of good quality and of a relatively low

concentration. The average value of the total dissolved

solids within the main thermal water horizon is about

1,500-2,500 ppm. The chloride ion content is very low,

generally less than 100 ppm. These waters represent an

alkaline-bicarbonate type (Korim, 1972).

The geothermal energy reserves of the Upper Pannonian

reservoir are estimated to be 1,835.1 KJ (Bobok et al.,

1984).

Upper Pannonian formations occur in 40-50% of the

country’s territory, but are covered by younger

formations, consequently, the thermal water reserves in

them are only accessible by deep drilling. Unlike the

Triassic carbonate thermal water reservoir, most of the

upper Pannonian thermal water reserves are nonrenewing. 

The Triassic age geothermal reservoir is composed of

carbonate rocks consisting of fractured, cavernous, partly

karstic carbonate rocks located in the area of the Central

Transdanubian Mountains, covering approximately 13,000

km2, or 14% of Hungary’s territory. About 20% of the

country’s geothermal wells produce from this type of

carbonate rock formation.

Under natural conditions, rainwater infiltrated into the

reservoir and partially exited to the surface through

springs and marshes. (Such hot water springs supply hot

water to Lake Héviz and Lake Harkány.) The dynamic

equilibrium was changed by human intervention through
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 20

water supply and mining activities (Horváth, 1986; Bobok

et al., 1998).

The salt content of thermal waters varies from place to

place; on average it is 3,000 mg/l (Horváth, 1986). The

chemical composition of the thermal waters coming from

aquifers of Pannonian age is mainly of the alkalinecarbonate type; these waters also contain methane and

carbon dioxide. Salt content is on average 3,000-5,000

mg l-1; gas content varies over a wide range. Due to the

methane, explosions have occurred on several occasions

(Ottlik, 1988). 

The only recharge to aquifers near the surface is the

infiltration of precipitation. Hungary averages 400-800

mm/year of precipitation, a low amount. With few

exceptions, reinjection has not been used in Hungary due

to high investment costs (Ottlik, 1990). 

Hungary has five primary geothermal regions:

1. the Great Hungarian Plain, 

2. the Little Hungarian Plain, 

3. the Mountainous Border, 

4. the South Transdanubia, and 

5. the Basement. 

Thermal water temperature is defined by the local value of

the geothermal gradient. The mean values are as follows:

50oC/km in the greatest part of the Great

Hungarian Plain;

45oC/km in the southern part of the

Great Hungarian Plain (partly

convectionally cooled area);

55-60oC/km in the eastern part of the Great

Hungarian Plain;

40oC/km in the Little Hungarian Plain;

and

50-60oC/km in most parts of the

Transdanubia.

There are some local anomalies within the above

mentioned regions (Ferenc and Liebe, 1985).

Measured temperatures are highest in the Great Hungarian

Plain (30-100oC) and Basement (30-100oC). The highest

surface temperature thermal water measured in Hungary is

97oC. The highest temperature measured in geothermal

brine from a geopressured reservoir is 171oC (at

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén). The highest aquifer

temperature registered is 140oC. The highest

geopressured reservoir temperature is 220oC (Árpási,

1995). 

Geopressured reservoirs have been found in the basement

of the Great Hungarian Plain. These systems are

characterized by high reservoir pressures and

temperatures, as well as the presence of dissolved natural

gas (3-12 grams per liter in the liquid phase). 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 21

Geothermal surface manifestations across Hungary have

been known since ancient times. Thermal springs in

Budapest were used during the Roman Empire and later in

medieval times. Legendary drilling engineer, V.

Zsigmondy, drilled Europe’s then-deepest well (971 m) in

Budapest in 1877. 

In the early 1900s, interest in geothermal exploration

waned. Between the two World Wars, in the process of

looking for oil and gas, huge thermal water reservoirs

were discovered. The majority of Hungary’s more than

10,000 drill holes have been drilled since the 1930s,

primarily as exploration wells for oil and gas. After

World War II, geothermal development, primarily for

space heating, became a national priority and resulted in

the installation of several district heating and water

systems. 

In the 1950s and ‘60s, hundreds of geothermal wells were

drilled, primarily for agricultural use. Tibor Boldizsár

constructed the first regional heat flow map of Hungary in

the late 1950s, and conducted the first geothermal

resource assessment of Hungary in 1978.15

During this time, the GOH supported the development of

geothermal energy under the National Energy Program. 

Geothermal activity’s peak occurred in the late ‘70s when

525 new geothermal wells were registered; the best 30 had

temperatures of over 90oC. 

In the 1980s, two problems emerged: decreasing yields in

wells, many which had been used without reinjection for

over 20 years, and scaling which damaged equipment and

required expensive maintenance (Szita, 1995). 

Most Hungarian geothermal waters are subject to scaling;

only a few cases of corrosive water occur. Scaling arises

from the CO2 equilibrium being through free and

dissolved gases including CO2, coming to the surface. 

Since the mid 1980s, chemical water treatment has been

used to prevent scaling. 

Since 1990, however, as Hungary moved away from

communism and a centrally-controlled economy, and

towards a free-market economy, the GOH has ceased all

support to geothermal development. The last state-funded

geothermal project, a space heating project covering 4,000

dwellings, was completed in 1987 (Szita, 1995).

The water fee to use geothermal water has increased

substantially, becoming a significant operating cost. 

Proliferation of water and energy saving operations will

be one of the most important challenges of the near future

in Hungary. Interest-free subsidies, low interest long-term

15 The extractable amount of energy was determined

by the volume method. Thermal energy stored in

the upper three kilometers of the Pannonian Basin

was obtained by Boldizsár to be equal to 5.5 x 10 KJ

(Bobok et al., 1984). 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 22

credits, or subsidies for experimental and R&D projects

(e.g., reinjection) are needed (Szita, 1995). 

Although no comprehensive estimates are available for the

total economically exploitable geothermal resources in

Hungary, it is tentatively estimated that some 10-12% of

the heating needs of Hungary’s urban population could

economically be met with geothermal energy

(Jónatansson, 1993).

As for power generation, considering wells with an

outflow temperature of 80oC or more and non-productive

hydrocarbon wells, the estimated power potential of

Hungary’s existing wells is 25-70 MWe (Andristyák et al.,

1995; Árpási, 1995; Geszti, 2000).

Direct Use

The proportion of geothermal energy utilization in the

energy balance of Hungary, despite the significant proven

resources, is low (0.16%) (Árpási and Szabó, 2000). 

The Romans used hot springs to supply baths and heat the

associated buildings. The remains of these facilities can

still be seen in Budapest, in the area of the Roman

Aquincum town (Horváth, 1986). Balneological and

therapeutic uses of the geothermal waters remain very

popular in Hungary with world-renown spas located in

Budapest, Bük, Debrecen, Gyula, Hajduszoboszló,

Harkány, Héviz, and Zalakaros. As of 1 January 2000,

Hungary used geothermal water for 61 medicinal baths,

350 public baths, and 1,200 swimming pools (Árpási and

Szabó, 2000). 

Developing additional hot springs resorts and spas to

attract tourists is an important objective of Hungary’s

National Development Plan (Széchenyi Plan). Tourism is

Hungary’s second-largest industry, after agriculture, and

accounts for 9% of GDP (Ministry of Economic Affairs). 

Direct uses were mainly agricultural, e.g., greenhouses,

poultry breeding farms, driers, etc., and primarily in the

southeastern part of the country. 

Agriculture had an installed capacity of 120.43 MWt;

district heating, sanitary hot water (SHW), and industrial

applications 58.7 MWt; and bathing and balneology 187.3

MWt for a total of 366.5 MWt as of 1 January 2000

(Árpási and Szabó, 2000).

Power Generation

Hungary has no geothermal power generation facilities. 

This is not due to a lack of suitable, high-enthalpy

resources, however: the existence of high-enthalpy

resources in Hungary was dramatically proven by a steam

blow out from Fábiánsebestyén-4 in 1985-1986. 

The best high-enthalpy geothermal area is the southeastern

corner of Hungary, near the cities of Szeged, Szentes, and

Hödmezõvásárhely. Wellhead temperatures in this area

are 80-90oC. 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 23

The mean temperature in the Pannonian Basin is estimated

to be 165oC at 3 km (Ottlik et al., 1981), indicating that

electric generation temperatures may well be found at 4-5

km depths (Lawrence and Stoyanov, 1996).

The three most promising geothermal sites, in terms of

power generation potential, and the subjects of the MOL

Geothermy Project (1995-1999) are:

1. Andráshida-Nagylengye, 

2. Mélykút, and 

3. Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén.

Following pre-feasibility studies, MOL concluded that

Andráshida-Nagylengyel could produce 108,000 GJ of

heat per year; Mélykút-Pusztamérges 234,700 GJ; and

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén 1,312,410 GJ (Árpási, 1997;

Árpási and Szabó, 1999). Mélykút-Pusztamérges, has an

estimated power generation potential of 1-2 MWe. 

Two small-scale, modular electric power generation plants

using the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with 100oC

water, were planned. In order to make the projects

economically feasible, however, in addition to generating

power, the resources would also be used for direct

applications, e.g., district heating and greenhouses.

The capital cost of geothermal electric power generation

(assuming binary power generation using the ORC) is

$1,000-2,850/kW, depending on the temperature of the

resource. The investment cost of a 140oC resource is

$1,348; of a 80oC resource, $2,805/kW.16 Electric power

generation using geothermal resources is cheaper than

imported power (Andristyák et al., 1995). 

A preliminary analysis established that the electric power

generation by ORC and other methods could produce 25

MWe; generate 215 GWh of power annually; save

500,000 tons of crude oil per year at a cost of $50 million

a year; and offset the annual emissions of 810,000 tons of

CO2, 1,100 tons of NOx, and 3,500 tons of CO (Árpási,

1995).

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén, where MOL found

extremely high-pressure hot steam instead of oil, has the

strongest potential for a future 60-70 MWe geothermal

power plant project. If the GOH were to guarantee a 50%

higher than average subsidized wholesale purchase price

for geothermal electricity, production would be feasible.

Such an intervention is currently against the law, which

states that MVM Rt. must always buy the lowest-cost

power available from the generators and resell it to

regional electricity distributors (Geszti, 2000).

The Database of Geothermal Resources contains data on

74 geothermal sites or projects which are listed in the

table on the following page, and summarized below.

16 For comparison’s sake, lignite electric power plants

stations cost US$1,600/kW; coal, US$1,300/kW;

nuclear, power US$1,900/kW; and combined cycle

gas, US$750/kW (Andristyák et al., 1995). 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 24

GEOTHERMAL SITES / PROJECTS IN HUNGARY

SITE / PROJECT NAME COUNTY STATUS TEMP. (oC)

Algyõ Csongrád Direct use -- developed 156

Álmosd Hajdú-Bihar Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 93-143

Andráshida-Nagylengyel ("AN

Project") Zala Prefeasibility study 93

Apátfalva Csongrád Direct use -- developed 86

Békés Békés Direct use -- developed N/A

Békésscsaba Békés Direct use -- developed N/A

Buda Pest Direct use -- developed N/A

Budapest Pest Direct use -- developed 74-100

Bük Vas Direct use -- developed 58

Bükkszék Heves Direct use -- developed 39-40

Cegléd Pest Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 54

Csengele Csongrád Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 77

Cserkeszollo Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Direct use -- developed 83

Csongrád Csongrád Direct use -- developed 58

Csorna Gyõr-Moson-Sopron Direct use -- developed 67

Debrecen Hajdú-Bihar Direct use -- developed 50-71

Egerszalók Heves Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 65

Esztergom Komárom-Esztergom Direct use -- developed N/A

Fejér Fejér Direct use -- developed N/A

Felgyõ Csongrád Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 84

Gyõr-Sopron Gyõr-Moson-Sopron Direct use -- developed N/A

Gyula Békés Direct use -- developed 93

Hajduszoboszló Hajdú-Bihar Direct use -- developed 60-70

Harkány Baranya Direct use -- developed 61
SITE / PROJECT NAME COUNTY STATUS TEMP. (oC)

Geothermal Resources in Hungary 25

Heves Heves Direct use -- developed N/A

Héviz Zala Direct use -- developed 10-50

Hödmezõvásárhely Csongrád Direct use -- developed N/A

Igal Somogy Direct use -- developed 76

Kapuvár Gyõr-Moson-Sopron Direct use -- developed 62-66

Karcag Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Direct use -- developed 75

Kecskemét Bács-Kiskun Direct use -- developed 51

Komárom Komárom-Esztergom Direct use -- developed N/A

Lipót Gyõr-Moson-Sopron Direct use -- developed 64

Makó Csongrád Direct use -- developed 89-95

Margitsziget (Margaret Island of

the Danube) Pest Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 44-69

Martfú Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 62

Mélykút-Pusztamérges Bács-Kiskun Prefeasibility study 108-110

Mezokövesd Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Direct use -- developed 64-71

Mindszent Csongrád Direct use -- developed 93

Mosonmagyaróvár Gyõr-Moson-Sopron Direct use -- developed 75-78

Nagyatád Somogy Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 32

Nagybánhegyes Csongrád Direct use -- developed 72

Nagylengyel Zala Direct use -- developed N/A

Nagymágocs Csongrád Direct use -- developed 96

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén Békés Prefeasibility study 150-254

Nógrád Nógrád Direct use -- developed N/A

Nyirád Zala Direct use -- developed N/A

Nyíregyháza Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg Direct use -- developed N/A

Oros Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 142-167

Orosháza Békés Direct use -- developed 95-97

Pitvaros Csongrád Direct use -- developed 78

Rábasõmjén Vas Direct use -- developed 83
SITE / PROJECT NAME COUNTY STATUS TEMP. (oC)

Geothermal Resources in Hungary 26

Recsk Heves Direct use -- developed 39

Rõszke Csongrád Direct use -- developed 82

Ruzsa Csongrád Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 61

Sajóhidvég Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Direct use -- developed 95

Sarvar Vas Direct use -- developed N/A

Sávoly Somogy Direct use -- developed N/A

Szabolcs-Szatmár Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg Direct use -- developed N/A

Szanda-Tiszaliget Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Direct use -- developed 54-55

Szarvas Békés Direct use -- developed 82-154

Szeged Csongrád Direct use -- developed 60-91

Szegvár Csongrád Direct use -- developed 93

Szentes Csongrád Direct use -- developed 72-143

Szolnok Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Direct use -- developed 56-70

Táska Somogy Direct use -- developed 68-75

Tiszakécske Bács-Kiskun Direct use -- developed 42

Tolna Tolna Direct use -- developed N/A

Toserdo Bács-Kiskun Well(s) or hole(s) drilled 41

Tótkomlós Békés Direct use -- developed 87

Vas Vas Direct use -- developed N/A

Veszprém Veszprém Direct use -- developed N/A

Zalakaros Zala Direct use -- developed 95-99

Zsóri Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Direct use -- developed 65
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 27

Algyõ

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary; on the Tisza River; in 

Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 156

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) 15

POTENTIAL (MWt) 15

CHRONOLOGY

Since 1969 - Geothermal water has been used in the

secondary oil production technology in Hungary’s

largest oilfield; 7,000 m3/d of hot water is reinjected

into the oil reservoir to displace oil. The utilized

geothermal power is 15 MWt (Bobok et al., 1998).

NOTES

Oil and gas prospecting well, Algyõ-1, was drilled to

3209.6 m and encountered a rock temperature of 156oC

(Boldizsár, 1975).

Álmosd

LOCATION

In Hajdú-Bihar County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 93-143

INSTALLED CAPACITY —

POTENTIAL —

CHRONOLOGY

1981 - Álmosd-13 well drilled; entered a tectonic zone

in the metamorphic rocks at 3,278-3,280 m. Well

produced 93oC water at rate of 360 m3/d and some

gaseous steam. Production pressure was 12,9 MPa;

reservoir pressure was 48.035 MPa. During production,

the temperature of the fluid was 143oC at 2,500 m

(Árpási et al., 2000).

NOTES

Andráshida-Nagylengyel

LOCATION

In the central western part of Hungary; in the town of

Zalaegerszeg (population 60,000); in Zala County

STATUS

Prefeasibility study

TEMPERATURE (°C) 93

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 28

POTENTIAL (MWt) 21.4

CHRONOLOGY

1940s - Geological and geophysical research began,

leading to the opening of the most significant oilfield in

Hungary at that time. 

1952 to 1954 - Five (5) wells were drilled; no oil or gas

found; wells were abandoned. 

1989 - Wells A-1 and A-2 were selected for flow

testing.

NOTES

As part of the Geothermy Project, the Hungarian Oil

and Gas Company (MOL) conducted a prefeasibility

study of the abandoned production well. The well,

which must be pumped, is low-enthalpy. It has a

wellhead temperature of 92-93oC and a flow rate of

over 30 l/s (Árpási and Cohut, 2000). 

The production well has a potential heat capacity of 241

TJ/year (Árpási and Szabó, 1999). The technical

feasibility study concluded that the geothermal resource

could provide heat to Landorhegy, the largest housing

estate in Zalaegerszeg. It could also be used for a new

greenhouse complex as well as cascaded uses. The total

thermal capacity of the three-tiered proposed system is

21.4 MWt (Árpási, 1997). 

Of the three MOL pilot projects, AndráshidaNagylengyel, or the “AN Project.” has the highest

estimated geological-technical feasibility at 95%

(Árpási and Szabó, 2000).

Apátfalva

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 86

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (2200 m, 86oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Békés

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary, near the Romanian border; in

Békés County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 29

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt)

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, greenhouses, and fish and other animal

farming.

Békésscsaba

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary, near the Romanian border; in

Békés County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

A prospecting well penetrated thermal water-bearing

horizons below 2000 m (Bélteky, 1972).

Buda

LOCATION

In Pest County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

16th and 17th Centuries - Baths developed during the

Turkish occupation.

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Budapest

LOCATION

The capital of Hungary, located in the north-central part

of the country; in Pest County

STATUS
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 30

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 74-100

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

During the Roman Empire - Hot springs used for

bathing and space heating.

1868 to 1877 - First thermal water well in the country

drilled to 970 m at Városliget, Budapest; triassic

dolomite formation; flow rate of 350-500 l/min; thermal

water used for heating and domestic hot water supply

and supplies water to nearby Széchenyi bath (Horváth,

1986). 

1953 - Geothermal hot water used to supply hot water

and heat to 16,000 homes and several hospitals.

1980 - Well drilled to 1,000 m in permian limestone

produced water of 100oC (Lawrence & Stoyanov,

1996).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, and greenhouses.

Gellert and Jozsef Hills in Budapest have flow rates of

2-4 l/min and 3-7 l/min respectively; both springs

contain SO3, Cl, and HCO3 ions in significant amounts

(Lawrence & Stoyanov, 1996).

Area is overlain by Eocene limestones (Ferenc and

Liebe, 1985).

Bük

LOCATION

In western Hungary; in Vas County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 58

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology. 

Well (1010 m, 58oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Bükkszék

LOCATION

In Heves County
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 31

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 39-40

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Wells (517 m, 39oC and 550 m, 40oC) have problems

with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Cegléd

LOCATION

Southeast of Budapest; in Pest County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 54

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1987 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1093 m;

maximum temperature of 54oC, flowing enthalpy of 226

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 21 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Csengele

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 77

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1986 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1569 m;

maximum temperature of 77oC, flowing enthalpy of 322

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 22 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Cserkeszollo

LOCATION

In northeastern corner of Hungary; in Jász-NagykunSzolnok County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 32

TEMPERATURE (°C) 83

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (2311 m, 83oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Csongrád

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary; northwest of Szentes; in

Csongrád County 

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 58

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1985 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1549 m;

maximum temperature of 58oC, flowing enthalpy of 243

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 17 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990). 

1986 - Geothermal district heat system for 654

dwellings began operation.

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, greenhouses, and fish and other animal

farming.

Csorna

LOCATION

In northwestern Hungary; in Gyõr-Moson-Sopron

County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 67

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

December 1970 - Well drilled to 1800 m; acid treatment

carried out to 50 m depth and repeated weekly.

1971 - Scaling existed even below 50 m; scales

consisting of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate were

removed by drilling but drill cuttings dropped to the

bottom, filling up the lower part of the well. 

1971 to 1972 - Acid treatment carried out; water-yield
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 33

decreased, indicating scaling even below 80 m (Bélteky,

1975).

NOTES

Well (1800 m, 67oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Debrecen

LOCATION

In central-eastern Hungary, south of Nyiregyhaza; in

Hajdú-Bihar County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 50-71

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1972 - Gas production which accompanied the thermal

water withdrawal was collected and introduced into the

city’s gas supply system (Bélteky, 1972).

1984 - The water level of the thermal wells fell

radically after several years of production (Bobok et al.,

1984).

1985 -Two production, pumped wells drilled to 750 m

and 871 m; encountered maximum temperatures of

50oC and 71oC, flowing enthalpies of 209 and 297

kJ/kg, and flow rates of 14 and 13 kg/s, respectively

(Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Egerszalók

LOCATION

In Heves County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 65

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (407 m, 65oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Esztergom

LOCATION
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 34

In northern Hungary, near the border with Slovakia; in

Komárom-Esztergom County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Fejér

LOCATION

In Fejér County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology and

greenhouses.

Felgyõ

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 84

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1985 - Production, pumped well drilled to 2500 m;

maximum temperature of 84oC, flowing enthalpy of 353

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 49 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Gyõr-Sopron

LOCATION

In northwest Hungary; southeast of Mosonmagyaróvár;

in Gyõr-Moson-Sopron County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 35

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, and greenhouses.

Gyula

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary, near the Romanian border,

east of Békésscsaba; in Békés County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 93

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1972 - Well drilled to 2500 m yielded 712 l/m of 93oC

water (Bélteky, 1972).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Hajduszoboszló

LOCATION

In eastern Hungary, southwest of Debrecen; in HajdúBihar County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 60-70

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1925 - First thermal water well established in the course

of oil and gas exploration; well is still functioning

(Horváth, 1986). The water level of the thermal wells

has fallen radically after several years of production

(Bobok et al., 1984).

1986 - Production, pumped well drilled to 900 m;

maximum temperature of 60oC, flowing enthalpy of 251

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 15 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology. 

The considerable gas content of the produced thermal

water was used, in the beginning, for local electric

power generation and for lighting in railway coaches

(Bélteky, 1972).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 36

Well (1091 m, 70oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975). 

Artesian water well of nearly 1,000 m encountered

water of 60-70oC (Ferenc and Liebe, 1985).

Harkány

LOCATION

In south-central Hungary, north of the border with

Croatia; in Baranya County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 61

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1866 - Well drilled to 37.7 m in triassic limestone

formation (Lawrence & Stoyanov, 1996).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Heves

LOCATION

In Heves County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, and greenhouses.

Héviz

LOCATION

In western Hungary, near Lake Héviz; in Zala County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 10-50

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 37

CHRONOLOGY

1970s - Natural water influx into Lake Héviz was 450

l/s.

1980s - Natural water influx into Lake Héviz decreased

to 300 l/s.

1995 - Since mining activity was stopped at Nyirád in

the early 1990s, a slow rise in the natural springs’ flow

rates has been observed; flow rate is now over 370 l/s

(Farkas, 1995). The spring contains SO3, Cl, and HCO3

ions in significant amounts (Lawrence & Stoyanov,

1996).

NOTES

Lake Héviz is the most famous thermal lake in

Hungary. The lake’s water supply comes from different

temperature springs of a huge karstic fractured

reservoir. Temperature distribution in the Pannonian

layer ranges from 10oC east and northeast of the lake to

50oC northwest of the lake (Farkas, 1995).

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Hödmezõvásárhely

LOCATION

In southern Hungary, south of Szentes; in Csongrád

County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 217

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1985 to 1987 - Reinjection experiments carried out. 

1987 - Geothermal district heat system for 570

dwellings began operation. Geothermal resource used to

heat Hödmezõvásárhely Hospital and ceramic plant.

NOTES

Oil and gas prospecting well, Hödmezõvásárhely-1, was

drilled to 5750 m and encountered a rock temperature

of 217oC (Boldizsár, 1975).

Igal

LOCATION

In Somogy County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 76

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 38

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (651 m, 76oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975). 

Kapuvár

LOCATION

In the northwest corner of Hungary; in Gyõr-MosonSopron County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 62-66

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1986 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1800 m;

maximum temperature of 62oC, flowing enthalpy of 260

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 12 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

1986 - Geothermal district heat system for 230

dwellings began operation.

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology. 

Well (1801 m, 66oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Karcag

LOCATION

In Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 75

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (1497 m, 75oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Kecskemét

LOCATION

In Bács-Kiskun County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 51
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 39

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, and greenhouses.

Komárom

LOCATION

In northern Hungary near the border with Slovakia; in

Komárom-Esztergom County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology and

greenhouses.

Lipót

LOCATION

In northwest Hungary on the Little Hungarian Plain; in

Gyõr-Moson-Sopron County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 64

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Wells yield water at 64oC; resource is used for

greenhouses, to heat the soil, irrigation, and for

balneology.

Makó

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary, near the borders with

Romania and Serbia; in Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 89-95
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 40

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1986 - Production, pumped well drilled to 2299 m;

maximum temperature of 94oC, flowing enthalpy of 394

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 23 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

Geothermal district heat system for 1,170 dwellings,

including Makó Hospital, began operation.

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for district heating.

Wells (2067, 95oC and 2105 m, 89oC) have a problem

with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Margitsziget (Margaret Island of the Danube)

LOCATION

In Budapest; in Pest County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 44-69

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1866 - Well drilled to 118.5 m in eocene marl

formation; flow rate of 6,200 l/m (Lawrence &

Stoyanov, 1996).

1952 to 1954 - Largest thermal water supply system in

Europe, at that time, was built at Margitsziget. Thermal

water of 69oC with a flow rate of 1,000 l/m was piped

across the bridge to supply hot water to more than 5,600

dwellings in 250 buildings in the Pest district. Some

parts of this system are still in operation (Horváth,

1986).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for district heating.

Martfú

LOCATION

In central Hungary; north of Csongrád; in

Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 62

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1988 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1100 m;

maximum temperature of 62oC, flowing enthalpy of 260
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 41

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 33 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990). 

NOTES

Mélykút-Pusztamérges

LOCATION

In south-central Hungary; southwest of NagyszénásFábiánsebestyén; near the Serbian border; in BácsKikun County

STATUS

Prefeasibility study

TEMPERATURE (°C) 108-110

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWe) —

POTENTIAL (MWe) 1-2

CHRONOLOGY

1976 to 1985 - Extensive seismological data collected

during exploration for oil in Bács-Kikun county; well

clusters are on the Pannonian plain close to the Serbian

border.

NOTES

As part of the Geothermy Project, Hungarian Oil and

Gas Company (MOL) conducted a prefeasibility study

of the well. The well is artesian, low-to mediumenthalpy. It has a wellhead temperature of 108-110oC, a

flow rate of 31 l/s (Árpási and Cohut, 2000), and

wellhead pressure of 1-5 bar. The production well has a

potential heat capacity of 289 TJ/year and a potential

installed capacity of 1-2 MWe (Árpási and Szabó,

2000).

Three apparently independent hydrodynamic units were

identified: Block 1 containing wells M-3, M-6, and M7; Block 2 containing wells M-2 and M-1; and Block 3

containing well P-3 (no interference or injection test

results are available to support or refute this

conclusion). The prevailing temperatures are 101oC

(109oC at depth) in Block 1, 155oC (170oC at depth) in

Block 2, and 130oC (140oC at depth) in Block 3. The

flow rate for Blocks 2 and 3 is 30 l/s (Árpási et al.,

1997). 

The geothermal field contains significant amounts of

gas and is prone to calcite scaling. The chloride content

is high (6,600 ppm) and some corrosion likely (Árpási

et al., 1997). 

Using an Organic Rankine Cycle, production of

electricity is technically feasible. ORMAT and

Turboden estimated the potentials of M-2/M-1 and P3/Pl-1 doublets at 735 kWe and 1,130 kWe respectively

(Árpási et al., 1997). 

Due to relatively low yields and the high GWR,

electricity production alone is not economically

feasible. Developing the resource for cascading uses,

e.g., power production, hot water supply, and a
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 42

greenhouse complex, is more profitable and would

provide employment and other community benefits

(Árpási et al., 1997).

Mélykút-Pusztamérges’s estimated geological-technical

feasibility is 80% (Árpási and Szabó, 2000).

Mezokövesd

LOCATION

Northeast of Budapest; in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén

County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 64-71

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology. 

Wells (875 m, 71oC, and 972 m, 64oC) have problems

with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Mindszent

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 93

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (2555 m, 93oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Mosonmagyaróvár

LOCATION

In the northwest corner of Hungary; in Gyõr-MosonSopron County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 75-78

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 43

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1987 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1995 m;

maximum temperature of 78oC, flowing enthalpy of 326

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 43 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990). 

Geothermal district heat system for 350 dwellings

began operation.

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology and district

heating. 

Well (1996 m, 75oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Nagyatád

LOCATION

South of Lake Balaton; in Somogy County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 32

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1911 - Well drilled to 413 m in pannonian sediments;

flow rate of 900 l/min (Lawrence & Stoyanov, 1996).

NOTES

Nagybánhegyes

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 72

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (1248m, 72oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Nagylengyel

LOCATION

In Zala County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 44

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource is used in oil production.

Natural gas, with a high content of CO2 (~81%) is

produced, transported, and reinjected to form an

artificial gas cap above the depleted part of the oil

reservoir. The technology operates without

compressors; compressor power is provided by the

thermal lift between the production and the reinjection

wells. The higher the extracted geothermal heat from

the produced gas, the stronger the thermal lift and the

higher the gas mass flow rate. In this case, the fluid

carrying the geothermal energy is CO2 gas (Bobok et

al., 1998).

Nagymágocs

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 96

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (2004 m, 96oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén

LOCATION

In the southeastern part of the country; Nagyszénás-3 is

about 12 km from Fábiánsebestyén-4; in Békés County

STATUS

Prefeasibility study

TEMPERATURE (°C) 150-254

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWe) —

POTENTIAL (MWe) 60-70

CHRONOLOGY

1985 to 1986 - Fábiánsebestyén-4 well drilled near a

major tectonic zone. During the drilling, steam blew

out from the opened section (3,698-4,239 m) on 16

December 1985. The blow out lasted 47 days,

continuing until 31 January 1986; the wellhead pressure

and flow rate remained constant. The well was finally

killed and the borehole cemented.
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 45

The blowout produced hot water (161oC) with steam

(20%). The amount of fluid was 5,000-8,500 m3/d;

production pressure at the surface was 36.0-37.5 MPa,

and occasionally up to 40.0 MPa. The estimated

pressure at the bottom of the well was 76.3 MPa; the

reservoir temperature 200-210oC. The mass flow rate

was approximately 80 kg/s; salt content is 27.2 g/l. The

bottomhole temperature at 4,239 m is 202oC; the SiO2

temperature is 254oC (Árpási et al. 2000). 

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén was one of three pilot

projects under the Hungarian Oil and Gas Company

(MOL) Geothermy Project. The first high pressure,

high temperature thermal water found in Hungary was

in Fábiánsebestyén-4. 

NOTES

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén has the strongest potential

for a future 60-70 MWe geothermal power plant

project. If the government were to guarantee a 50%

higher than average subsidized wholesale purchase

price for geothermal electricity, production would be

feasible. Such an intervention is currently against the

law, which states that MVM Rt. must always buy the

lowest-cost power available from the generators and

resell it to regional electricity distributors. Therefore,

any price subsidy would require the amendment of

current energy legislation (Geszti, 2000).

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén is a reservoir with

carbonate rocks (dolmite) quartz porphyry (Árpási and

Szabó, 2000).

Magnetotelluric measurements proved the existence of

geothermal reservoirs which are connected to tectonic

zones and go down 9-10 km (Árpási et al., 2000).

Nagyszénás-2 has a temperature of 165oC and a

geothermal gradient of 53.3oC/km at 2,911 m, and

belongs to the Pannonian age.

Nagyszénás-3 (3,165-4,034 m deep) is a medium- to

high-enthalpy geopressured, artesian well. It has a

wellhead temperature of 171oC (the highest water-steam

mixture temperature measured in Hungary), a flow rate

of 1,891 m3/day, a geothermal gradient of 49.7oC/km at

3,200 m, production wellhead pressure of 450 bar, and

belongs to the Lower Triassic age. At 3,500 m, the

temperature is 176oC, the geothermal gradient

47.4oC/km, and belongs to the Permian age. The

production well has a potential heat capacity of 575

TJ/year and 64 MWe (Árpási and Szabó, 2000; (Árpási

et al., 2000).

During the well test, it was found that the extremely

good inflow is a considerably fractured reservoir, within

a 400-m radius of the well, with a permeability of

11.28x10-3:2. During the production test, the best volume rate of the water was 1,891 m3/d and 10.060

m3/d for the gas. The wellhead temperature was 171oC;

the highest temperature (185.47oC) was measured at

3,006 m. When shut-on, the temperature decreased to
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 46

177.79oC and then to 169oC. On the basis of these data,

the temperature is 190oC at 3,165 m and the pressure is

63.8 MPa. The SiO2 temperature is 193-199oC (Árpási

et al., 2000).

Fábiánsebestyén-2 has a temperature of 162oC and a

geothermal gradient of 46.6oC/km at 3,259 m, and

belongs to the Miocene age.

Fábiánsebestyén-3, oil and gas prospecting well, was

drilled to 2,980 m and encountered a rock temperature

of 150oC (Boldizsár, 1975).

Fábiánsebestyén-4 has a temperature of 166.4oC and a

geothermal gradient of 49.5oC/km at 3,160 m, and

belongs to the Upper Cretaceous age. At 3,864.5 m,

the temperature is 190.5oC, the geothermal gradient

46.7oC/km, and the age Middle Triassic (Árpási et al.,

2000). 

Technical problems — high pressure (360 bars) and

strongly saline water — appear to be serious (Bobok et

al., 1998).

Nógrád

LOCATION

In Nógrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Nyirád

LOCATION

25 km northeast of Héviz; in Zala County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1980s - About 13 million m3/month of water had to be

produced from the extended Transdanubian karstic

reservoir to ensure bauxite mining (Farkas, 1995). 

Early 1990s - Mining activity stopped due to

environmental damage.
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 47

NOTES

Geothermal resource was used in mining.

Nyíregyháza

LOCATION

In northeastern Hungary, north of Debrecen; in

Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Oros

LOCATION

In the Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén region; in

Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 142.2-167

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWe) —

POTENTIAL (MWe) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Oros-1 has a temperature of 142.2oC and a geothermal

gradient of 50.6oC/km at 2,610 m, and is of the

Pannonian age. At 2,800 m, the temperature is 149oC,

the geothermal gradient 49.6oC/km and the age

Precambrian.

Oros-2 has a temperature of 162oC and a geothermal

gradient of 54.1oC/km at 2,610 m, and is of the Miocene

age. 

Oros-3 has a temperature of 160oC and a geothermal

gradient of 54.2oC/km at 2,771 m, and is of the

Pannonian age. At 2,942 m, the temperature is 167oC,

the geothermal gradient 53.4oC/km and the age

Precambrian (Árpási et al., 2000).

Orosháza

LOCATION

In Békés County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 48

TEMPERATURE (°C) 95-97

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Two wells (1700 m, 97oC and 1610 m, 95oC) have

problems with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Pitvaros

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 78

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (1700 m, 78oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Rábasõmjén

LOCATION

In Vas County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 83

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (1943 m, 83oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Recsk

LOCATION

In Heves County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 39

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 49

NOTES

Well (998 m, 39oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Rõszke

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 82

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (2000 m, 82oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Ruzsa

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 61

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1986 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1135 m;

maximum temperature of 61oC, flowing enthalpy of 255

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 42 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Sajóhidvég

LOCATION

In Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 95

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (1880 m, 95oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 50

Sarvar

LOCATION

In northwestern Hungary; in Vas County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Sávoly

LOCATION

In southwestern Hungary; in Somogy County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource heats gathering pipes in a heavily

producing oilfield (Bobok, et al., 1998).

Szabolcs-Szatmár

LOCATION

In Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology and

greenhouses.

Szanda-Tiszaliget

LOCATION

In Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 51

TEMPERATURE (°C) 54-55

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Wells (1013 m, 55oC; and 1443 m, 54oC) have

problems with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Szarvas

LOCATION

In the heart of the Hungarian Plain; on the banks of the

Körös dead channel; population 18,000; in Békés

County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 82-154

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1965 - First geothermal well drilled at Dósza

Agricultural Cooperative; 3 additional wells developed

for agricultural purposes.

1985 - Space heating using geothermal energy became

popular as a national program to replace fossil fuels

with renewable energy began. The town council

applied for a grant from the government to develop a

geothermal heating system. 

1986 -Two new production and reinjection wells were

drilled to 1790 m (artesian) and 1501 m; maximum

temperatures of 97oC and 82oC, flowing enthalpy of 406

and 343 kJ/kg, and flow rates of 25 and 18 kg/s,

respectively. The artesian well’s production rate is 65

m3/h (at 6 m wellhead pressure); outflow temperature at

maximum flow rate is 98oC; GWR is 0.83; CH4, CO2,

and N2 are present in the water. Surface equipment,

pipelines, and heat exchangers were installed. 

Geothermal district heat system for 480 dwellings

began operation at the end of the year with only three

consumers and using only 20% of the wells' capacity. 

Construction of an immense health center with a spa

hotel and thermal baths promised by the town council

for political reasons was abandoned.

Wells were placed rather far away from the city's large

heat consumers. Also, to make matters worse, the camp

ground, the largest heat consumer, disconnected itself

from the geothermal system and began using natural gas

boilers (Szita and Kocsis, 2000).

1988 - Reinjection test caused wellhead pressure in the

well to rise unexpectedly and rapidly. 
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 52

1993 - Local government, through its limited liability

company, M. Thermal Ltd., finalized contracts with

Porció Ltd. to implement a geothermal heating system

using the well owned by the town (free of charge for 10

years), and to supply three public buildings with heat. 

The heat supplied by the geothermal resource will be 5-

15% cheaper (average 10%) than that provided by fossil

fuel.

1994 - Implementation began; more than 4 km of

transmission and distribution double pipelines were laid

for 17 geothermal substations. Operation began 1

November. 

1995 - Second stage became operational in January.

Geothermal resource used for balneology and space

heating, providing 16 consumers 6,150 kW of heat to

200,800 m3 (Szita and Kocsis, 2000). 

Oil and gas prospecting well, Szarvas-DNy-1, was

drilled to 3020 m and encountered a rock temperature of

154oC (Boldizsár, 1975).

NOTES

Geothermal resource is used for district heating.

Cooled geothermal water is sent to a cooling pool and

then discharged into the Körös River. Reinjection is

not used because of 1988 test results but may soon be

mandatory due to stricter regulations from water

authorities (Szita and Kocsis, 2000).

The geothermal system could be expanded to provide

heat to several additional buildings. Also, the used

geothermal water could be used in a greenhouse,

extracting an additional 1 MWt in capacity. Financing

has been an insoluble problem (Szita and Kocsis, 2000).

Szeged

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary on the southern Great

Hungarian Plain; south of Szentes; near the Serbian

border; in Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 60-91

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1920s - Artesian water well of nearly 1,000 m

completed; encountered water of 60-70oC (Ferenc and

Liebe, 1985). 

1962 - District heating project, comprising 1,000 flats in

Szeged was started; used thermal water of 89oC coming

from a nearby well drilled to 1,900 meters (Ottlik et al.,

1981). The University at Szeged was subsequently

added to the system (Lawrence & Stoyanov, 1996).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 53

1983 to 1985 - Reinjection experiments carried out;

two-well system established did not function due to a

series of machine breakdowns (Horváth, 1986).

1987 - Production, pumped well drilled to 1552 m;

maximum temperature of 70oC, flowing enthalpy of 293

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 33 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

1990 to 1992 - With PHARE's (European Community)

support, a geothermal project was launched; a slanted

pair of unused geothermal wells were operated as a

doublet. Production and reinjection test conducted on

the pair of wells in late 1992 by Porcio, Ltd. At the end

of the 20-day experiment, well head pressure associated

with a maximum water drain of 45 m3/h was stabilized

at 10.5 bar. As a result of the project, a contract was

issued to Porcio, Ltd. to implement the project (Szita,

1995).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology and space

heating. 

At the Szeged Clinic, the production level and water

quality dropped dramatically over 15 years of use. 

Despite ceasing production, the level did not recover

(Szita, 1995).

Wells (1800-2000 m, 83-91oC) have problems with

scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Permeability is 7-846 x 10-3 :2; the mean value on the basis of hydrodynamic measurements in 10 wells is

261x10-3:2 (Árpási et al., 2000).

Szegvár

LOCATION

In Csongrád County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 93

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1988 - Production, pumped well drilled to 2485 m;

maximum temperature of 93oC, flowing enthalpy of 389

kJ/kg, and flow rate of 28 kg/s (Ottlik, 1990).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for agricultural purposes.

Szentes

LOCATION

In southeastern Hungary on the Great Hungarian Plain;

in Csongrád County
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 54

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 72-143

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1957 - Development of a geothermal heating system

began. 

1959 - Municipal hospital of Szentes supplied by

thermal water; water used to heat the hospital wards and

other rooms.

1960s - First thermal well drilled to heat greenhouses

(Farkas, 1995). Well 2000-2500 m deep yielded 1500-

2000 l/min of 90-95oC water (Bélteky, 1972).

1986 and 1987 - Two production, pumped wells drilled

to 1997 m and 2345 m; encountered maximum

temperatures of 72oC and 96oC, flowing enthalpy of 301

and 402 kJ/kg, and flow rates of 12 and 25 kg/s,

respectively (Ottlik, 1990). Geothermal district heat

system for 1,487 dwellings began operation.

End of the 1980s - Number of wells increased to 40;

average flow rate decreased from 600,000 to 300,000

m3/yr. Model showed that injection could partially

reduce the decline in pressure (Farkas, 1995).

1985 to 1987 - Reinjection experiments carried out.

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, space

heating, greenhouses, and soil heating. 

The six month winter season represents the main

utilization period. In the summer, the majority of the

thermal wells are shut down (Korim, 1972).

Szentes-ÉK-1 has a temperature of 143.4oC and a

geothermal gradient of 44.8oC/km at 2,975 m, and is of

the Pannonian age. At 3,400 m, the temperature is

160oC, the geothermal gradient 44.1oC/km and the age

Upper Cretaceous (Árpási et al., 2000).

Szolnok

LOCATION

Southeast of Budapest; in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok

County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 56-70

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 55

1920s - Artesian water well of nearly 1,000 m

completed; encountered water of 60-70oC (Ferenc and

Liebe, 1985).

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, greenhouses, and fish and other animal

farming. Wells (1001-1687 m, 56-62oC) have problems

with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

The water level of the thermal wells has fallen radically

after several years of production (Bobok et al., 1984).

Táska

LOCATION

In Somogy County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 68-75

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Wells (691-942 m, 68-75oC) have problems with

scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Tiszakécske

LOCATION

South of Szolnok; in Bács-Kiskun County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 42

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology. 

Water of 42o at 220 m was found; flow rate of 1500

l/min (Bélteky, 1972).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 56

Tolna

LOCATION

In south-central Hungary; in Tolna County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Toserdo

LOCATION

In Bács-Kiskun County

STATUS

Well(s) or hole(s) drilled

TEMPERATURE (°C) 41

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Water of 41o at 1050 m was found; flow rate of 1500

l/min (Bélteky, 1972).

Tótkomlós

LOCATION

In Békés County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 87

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Well (1460 m, 87oC) has a problem with scaling

(Bélteky, 1975).

Vas

LOCATION

In Vas County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 57

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology, district

heating, greenhouses, fish and other animal farming,

and agricultural drying.

Veszprém

LOCATION

In Veszprém County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) —

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology.

Zalakaros

LOCATION

In western Hungary, south of Héviz; in Zala County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 95-99

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

NOTES

Geothermal resource used for balneology. 

Wells (2307 m, 99oC and 2752 m, 95oC) have problems

with scaling (Bélteky, 1975).

Zsóri

LOCATION

In northeastern Hungary; in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén

County

STATUS

Direct use -- developed

TEMPERATURE (°C) 65

INSTALLED CAPACITY (MWt) —
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 58

POTENTIAL (MWt) —

CHRONOLOGY

1968 - Regular acid treatment began, eliminating the

need for removal of scaling by drill (Bélteky, 1972).

NOTES

Geothermal resource is used for balneology.

The 850 m deep well at the Zsóri spa has the most

intense precipitation in Hungary — 1-1.3 mm per day. 

Corrosion has been controlled by a Dutch inhibiting

agent (Servo CK 821) which is added to the thermal

water at 65oC. Operation of the bathing facilities is not

hindered by the cleaning process which is done

overnight and usually takes only 2.5 hours (Bélteky,

1972).
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 59

Hungary has a handful of high-enthalpy geothermal

resources which may be suitable for power generation. 

First and foremost is Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén with a

potential of 60-70 MWe. Despite this potential, however,

development is unlikely in the near future. 

The success of geothermal development in Hungary is

connected with three factors: the price of hydrocarbons, the

country’s accession to the EU, and the existence of private

investment. When the price of oil is high, geothermal and

other renewable technologies become increasingly attractive

(Árpási and Szabó, 1999). Due to the low cost of fossil fuels,

especially natural gas, however, only the best geothermal

resources are commercially competitive based on a strict

financial comparison. Commercial viability of power

generation projects may be increased through the use of

cascading. 

Additionally, Hungary’s energy policy is focused on EU

accession. The GOH will promote alternative energy sources

as long as they are economically viable in a free market-based

electricity system. It may offer support or subsidies to

geothermal development after EU accession, particularly to

achieve the EU’s goal of having 12% of its member-countries’

total inland energy generated by renewable energy sources. 

U.S. companies considering bidding on future renewable

energy projects in Hungary should be prepared for three to four

years of project development, according to the U.S. Foreign

Commercial Service in Budapest. In this long process, local

joint-venture partners may play an important role. The GOH,

in general, is encouraging foreign investors to invest in power

generation projects. Renewable energy has an important role

in this process (Geszti, 2000).

The short-term outlook is brighter regarding Hungary’s direct

use potential, particularly in district heating. According to a

recent EU report, opportunities both to extend existing usage

and to develop related businesses are rife in Eastern European,

including Hungary, where large centralized district heating

systems using conventional fuels could be converted to

geothermal (European Union, 1999).

Conclusion
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 60

Algyõ .......................................... 27

Álmosd ........................................ 27

Andráshida-Nagylengyel .......................... 27

Apátfalva ....................................... 28

Békés .......................................... 28

Békésscsaba .................................... 29

Buda ........................................... 29

Budapest ....................................... 29

Bük ............................................ 30

Bükkszék ....................................... 30

Cegléd ......................................... 31

Csengele ....................................... 31

Cserkeszollo .................................... 31

Csongrád ....................................... 32

Csorna ......................................... 32

Debrecen ....................................... 33

Egerszalók ...................................... 33

Esztergom ...................................... 33

Fejér ........................................... 34

Felgyõ ......................................... 34

Gyõr-Sopron .................................... 34

Gyula .......................................... 35

Hajduszoboszló .................................. 35

Harkány ........................................ 36

Heves .......................................... 36

Héviz .......................................... 36

Hödmezõvásárhely ............................... 37

Igal ............................................ 37

Kapuvár ........................................ 38

Karcag ......................................... 38

Kecskemét ..................................... 38

Komárom ...................................... 39

Lipót .......................................... 39

Makó .......................................... 39

Margitsziget (Margaret Island of the Danube) ......... 40

Martfú ......................................... 40

Mélykút-Pusztamérges ........................... 41

Mezokövesd .................................... 42

Mindszent ...................................... 42

Mosonmagyaróvár ............................... 42

Nagyatád ....................................... 43

Nagybánhegyes .................................. 43

Nagylengyel .................................... 43

Nagymágocs .................................... 44

Nagyszénás-Fábiánsebestyén ....................... 44

Nógrád ......................................... 46

Nyirád ......................................... 46

Nyiregyhaza ..................................... 47

Nyíregyhaza ..................................... 47

Nyíregyháza ..................................... 47

Oros ........................................... 47

Orosháza ....................................... 47

Pitvaros ........................................ 48

Rábasõmjén ..................................... 48

Index of Sites
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 61

Recsk .......................................... 48

Rõszke ......................................... 49

Ruzsa .......................................... 49

Sajóhidvég ...................................... 49

Sarvar .......................................... 50

Sávoly ......................................... 50

Szabolcs-Szatmár ................................ 50

Szanda-Tiszaliget ................................ 50

Szarvas ......................................... 51

Szeged ......................................... 52

Szegvár ......................................... 53

Szentes ......................................... 54

Szolnok ........................................ 54

Táska .......................................... 55

Tiszakécske ..................................... 55

Tolna .......................................... 56

Toserdo ........................................ 56

Tótkomlós ...................................... 56

Vas ............................................ 56

Veszprém ....................................... 57

Zalakaros ....................................... 57

Zsóri .......................................... 57
Geothermal Resources in Hungary 62

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