Magyar Energetikai És Közmű-Szabályozási Hivatal (MEKH) or Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (HEA) is the regulatory body of the energy and public utility market, supervising the national economy’s sectors of strategic importance.
HEA, as an independent regulatory authority entrusted with provision making powers was established under Act XXII of 2013 as the successor of the Hungarian Energy Office (HEO) that was set up under Act XLI of 1994 on Gas Supply.
From licensing to consumers protection
MEKH/HEA’s responsibility covers licensing, supervision, price regulation, tariff-and fee preparatory tasks in the fields of electricity, natural gas, district heating as well as in water utility supply, besides pricing of public waste management services.
As the official statistical body, HEA also performs standard national energy-statistics related tasks and complies with the data reporting obligations to various national and international bodies and organisations. As part of the National Statistical Data Collection Programme, HEA liaises with roughly 5700 data suppliers.
In cooperation with partners, maintaining security of supply and protecting retail, public and industrial consumers belong to HEA’s key activity. Keeping the consumers’ interest in mind, HEA continuously supervises the license holders’ billing, contract management and customer service activities.
The Act LVII of 2015 on Energy Efficiency has entrusted HEA with numerous regulatory, supervisory, energy-statistics and related communication tasks. HEA – among others – defines the methodology for the assessment of expenditures and revenues related to the power plants’ use of waste heat and that of cogeneration as well as the requirements for the preparation of cost-benefit analysis. In view of the above, HEA enhances the reduction of energy consumption costs and the conservation of environmental resources for the future generations.
HEA maintains close international relations at European, regional and bilateral levels, its experts participate in the activity of the highest forums and organizations.
