Electricity production, consumption up by 13% in Georgia in 2021
Between 2011-2021, internal electricity consumption increased by an average of 4.2 percent annually, with the annual production increasing by an average of 2.3 percent in the reported period. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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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.
Between 2011-2021, internal electricity consumption increased by an average of 4.2 percent annually, with the annual production increasing by an average of 2.3 percent in the reported period.
As for the import of electricity, last year the figure grew by 24.6 percent compared to 2020, while the export was 2.5 times higher in the reported year.
The report also noted the retail electricity supply market was “highly concentrated,” naming the three largest producers of electricity in the country, including the Enguri HPP with 28.1 percent of market shares, Energo-Pro Georgia Generation with 13.3 percent and Gardabani Thermal Power Plant 2 with 7.9 percent.
Additionally in 2021, seven small power plants with a total installed capacity of 23.51 MW were put into operation, the document said.
The report of the state body also said the share of natural gas in total energy consumption was characterised by a “small but growing” trend, noting 99.4 percent of Georgia's demand for natural gas was met by imports.
It named Azerbaijan as the main source of natural gas supplier for the country, adding a total of 30 suppliers were operating in the wholesale and retail market of natural gas in the country in 2021, with two exporting to Georgia.
The report also said the process of delivering gas to populated locations across the country continued in 2021, reaching the total number of 1,444,616 retail customers by the end of the year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Georgia is not receiving electricity from Russia due to sufficient domestic production over the recent months, David Narmania, the Head of the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, was cited as saying by local media outlet bpn.ge on Wednesday.
Georgia received $64.78 million from exporting electricity between January-July, a 337 percent increase year-on-year, data published by the State Electricity System shows.
The Georgian national energy and water supply regulatory commission has responded to "false information" from the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi channel that alleged an anticipated increase in natural gas tariffs in December, saying the report is "not true and a deliberate provocation".
David Narmania, the head of the Georgian national energy and water supply regulatory commission, on Friday said the commission was going to set new tariffs for natural gas in December, adding "no increase” was expected in the tariff.
Electricity production in Georgia was up by 13.3 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year, reaching 12.64 billion kilowatt-hours, the National Statistics Office of Georgia revealed on Friday.