Electricity production, consumption up by 13% in Georgia in 2021

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.

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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. 

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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.