Energy Regulator Head: Georgia’s dependence on Russia "not very high"
Narmania noted Russia was not the only supplier of electricity either, as Georgia also imported from Azerbaijan and Turkey. Georgia will not face a deficit if Russia is no longer able to export electricity due to sanctions imposed on the country over the war in Ukraine, he added. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Georgia’s energy dependence on Russia is "not very high” with Azerbaijan being the country’s main supplier of gas, Davit Narmania, the Head of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission told local media outlet bpn.ge on Thursday.
Narmania noted Russia was not the only supplier of electricity either, as Georgia also imported from Azerbaijan and Turkey. Georgia will not face a deficit if Russia is no longer able to export electricity due to sanctions imposed on the country over the war in Ukraine, he added.
When a country bids for imports, Russian electricity is often cheaper and therefore chosen for import, however there are alternatives,” Narmania told bpn.ge.
Giorgi Pangani, a member of the Commission, said earlier today the state body was also working to support the development of domestic renewable energy potential and policy for its effective use.
He also noted electricity consumption in the country was characterised by an average annual growth trend of four percent, lagging behind the growth rate of local electricity production.
Electricity production in Georgia decreased by 5.9 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year, and totalled 11,159.8 million kWh. Consumption in the country also decreased in 2020 by 4.8 percent year-on-year, amounting to 11,479.3 million kWh.
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.
A new Electricity Market Model Concept will be launched in Georgia on September 1, Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze announced on Tuesday at a sitting of the Parliamentary Committee on Sectoral Economics and Economic Policy.
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.
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.
Russia does not have "significant leverage" over Georgia to suspend energy supply or threaten the country for political gain, a report by World Experience for Georgia, an independent, nonprofit thinktank, says.
Electricity production in Georgia was up by 13.6 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year, while domestic consumption amounted to 13.3 percent, a report of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, published on Friday, said.
David Narmania, the Head of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, on Tuesday said there was “no basis” for increasing tariffs for electricity and natural gas in the country.
Georgia has “no luxury” of giving up relatively cheap Russian energy for political reasons due to the “sensitivity” of the tariff changes, David Narmania, the Head of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, said on Thursday.
A natural gas field with a volume of 16 billion cubic metres has been discovered near the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, Giorgi Tatishvili, the Head of the State Oil and Gas Agency, told local media outlet BMG on Monday.
David Narmania, the head of the Georgian national energy and water supply regulatory commission, on Thursday said the country was “completely prepared” for the winter season and energy bills were not expected to increase.
Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Romeo Mikautadze on Wednesday met heads of electricity producer and consumer companies to discuss the anticipated opening of the domestic electricity market and its reform.