The construction of a 60 km-long east-west gas pipeline in Georgia's Black Sea region of Adjara, designed to supply the locality and its new settlements with natural gas, is at the closing stage, the Georgian Economy Ministry announced on Wednesday.
Romeo Mikautadze, Deputy Economy Minister, who visited the construction site in the country’s Black Sea city of Kobuleti, said diversification of gas supply in the region would “significantly contribute” to the economic development of both the Black Sea coastline and the Adjara highlands.
He also noted the need for the construction of a new gas pipeline was due to the “growing demand” for natural gas in the Adjara region, adding it was “another important contribution” to the energy security of the country.
Giorgi Chikovani, the head of Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, which implements the project, noted the new gas pipeline would be an “important benefit” both for the population of Adjara and for the tourism sector, to which “stable, high-quality and reliable gas supply is particularly important.”
A total of ₾40 million ($14.6mln) was spent on the construction of a branch from Abasha to Kobuleti, which includes a 60 km section of the pipeline, the Ministry said, adding with the new pipeline, it would be possible to supply 20 percent more natural gas.