Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH)

Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH)

Hungary

Sectors Regulated:

Electricity, Natural Gas, District Heating, Water Utility, Waste
  • Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 52. 1054 Budapest, Hungary
  •  +361 459 7777
  • mekh-at-mekh.hu
  • www.mekh.hu

Regulatory Authority General Information

  • Joined ERRA in 2000 (Founding Member)
  • as Hungarian Energy Office.
  • Established in 1994

Responsibilities

  • Legal basis/ mandate
  • Act 22 of 2013 on the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority, Act 86 of 2007 on Electricity, Act 40 of 2008 on Natural Gas Supply, Act 18 of 2005 on District Heating, Act 209 of 2011 on Water Public Utility Service, Act 185 of 2012 on Waste management.
  • Responsibilities
  • MEKH regulates and supervises the activities of electricity, natural gas, district heating and water public utility companies, has competence as regards price regulation of waste management, energy statistics and consumer protection, The most important responsibilities of MEKH are: Issuing decrees (determining the network access and network usage fees for both the electricity and gas transmission and distribution systems, determining the conditions and rules for the application of such fees); Issuing, amendment or withdrawal of the authorizations required for performing activities regarding electricity, gas, district heating and water public utility; Approval of commercial codes, operational network codes (TSO, DSO), network development plan (TSO), business codes (traders, generators), market rules of the exchanges; Monitoring the compliance with the obligations of the licensees, the execution of cross-border transmission of electricity and gas, the competition in the electricity and gas markets (including the balancing market) in the course of market surveillance activities, and performance of market analysis and regulatory inspections; Making preliminary proposals for the regulations relating to the pricing mechanisms of universal services; Resolving complaints lodged against authorized operators (shared competence with the Authority for Consumer Protection).
  • Authorities
  • Independence: Legal entity with separate and independent budget.
  • Reports to the Parliament on its activities on an annual basis.
  • Appeal process: MEKH’s decisions can be appealed before court

Organisational Structure

  • OrganigramOrganigram: MEKH Hungary (2023)
  • Internal Structure
  • President (appointed by the President of Hungary – following the proposal of the Prime Minister – for 7 years, may be reappointed once for a further period of 7 years), Vice presidents (maximum five, appointed by the President of MEKH for 7 years).
  • Working Employees
  • • Decision-Making Level: President and up to 5 Vice-Presidents (currently 4)
  • • Total Number of Employees: 349 (as of 31 May 2022)
  • Budget
  • Consists of fees and other charges collected from licensees, and fines. No aid from the state budget.