PM: we should build as many hydropower plants in Georgia as possible
“We will develop and present the model in a few days, and I think next week I will have the opportunity to make this offer to the business, in order to facilitate the construction of generation facilities in the field,” Garibashvili said. Photo: Georgian Government Administration
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Georgia’s energy consumption requires the country to build as many hydropower plants as possible, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday while speaking on matters of investment and energy independence.
Garibashvili announced the business sector would be offered a “relevant package” by the Government within the upcoming week to begin construction of new HPPs in the country.
We will develop and present the model in a few days, and I think next week I will have the opportunity to make this offer to the business, in order to facilitate the construction of generation facilities in the field,” Garibashvili said.
The PM pointed out the country’s increasing demand for electricity, saying the consumption for power had been growing while the generation “lagged significantly behind” demand. Garibashvili called the tendency “risky” for Georgia’s energy security and energy independence.
Electricity production in Georgia decreased by 5.9 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year, and totalled 11,159.8 million kWh. The consumption of electricity in the country also decreased in 2020 by 4.8 percent year-on-year, amounting to 11,479.3 million kWh.
Georgia saw a number of public protests over the recent years around deals for construction of HPPs in regions of the country - signed between the Government and private companies - with residents of areas subject to the construction plans demanding shelving of the projects that would affect their localities.
Industrial production of wind power plants in Georgia is set to begin following the signing of a memorandum between the country Economy Ministry, the State Military Scientific Centre Delta and Georgian Wind Energy Association on Wednesday.
An agreement on a €2 million programme on developing sustainable energy in Georgia was signed on Thursday between Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Economy Minister, and Jeppe Kofod, the Danish Foreign Minister.
Ongoing reforms and future plans for the development of the energy sector of Georgia were in focus of a meeting between the Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and representatives of Energy Community (EC), an organisation established between the European Union and a number of eastern and southern European states, on Thursday.
Electricity production in Georgia decreased by 5.9% in 2020 compared to the previous year, and totalled 11,159.8 million kWh of electricity, a survey conducted by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) read.
The Georgian Government is holding consultations with “various investors” over projects to construct hydropower plants in the country, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has called on fuel importer companies to adjust their prices “as soon as possible” at the weekly Government meeting on Monday.
Recently announced large-scale infrastructure projects and public employment programme, as well as ongoing energy projects, were discussed in a meeting of the Georgian Government’s Economic Council, led by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday.
Georgia has “great potential” for strengthening global energy security with the prospect of acting as a bridge between the energy markets of Europe and Central Asia, David Songhulashvili, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Sectoral Economics and Economic Policy, said on Monday.
More than $1 billion will be spent on completing suspended hydro power plant projects across Georgia to activate 800 megawatts of supply, while the Government will also announce a tender for the construction of new energy facilities adding 1,500 MW of generation, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced at the Government meeting on Monday.