Officials meet in Tbilisi to discuss Black Sea submarine cable project
The first steering commitee meting involved high officials from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary. Photo: Ministry of Economy
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Officials from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary on Thursday met in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi to discuss various stages of the implementation of the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project, a new transmission route to deliver green energy from Azerbaijan to Europe, the Georgian Ministry of Economy announced.
At the meeting, Georgian officials shared the first results of the feasibility study of the project and discussed the next stages of its implementation with their counterparts.
Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili said additional studies were required this year in order to have a “complete picture” of how the project should be implemented.
It is very important to coordinate at a high level between the countries in order for the project to be effectively implemented”, Davitashvili said after the meeting.
Georgian Finance and Economy Ministers with the deputies. Photo: Ministry of Economy
George Niculescu, the State Secretary in the Romanian Ministry of Energy, said the project was an opportunity for Europe and the Caspian Sea countries to be better connected with each other.
The part of the project that will pass through the Black Sea is extremely important and, at the same time, the most difficult part. It will be the longest submarine cable ever built. So, from a technical point of view, this is a real challenge and I hope the companies that will implement this project will do a very good job”, Niculescu said.
George Niculescu, the State Secretary in the Romanian Ministry of Energy. Photo: Ministry of Economy
Peter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs, said his country was interested in energy diversification to ensure “security of supply and green, environmentally friendly solutions”.
We really appreciate Georgia's ambitious approach to the implementation of this project [and] we are ready to participate in the feasibility study. We hope that our Georgian friends will be able to fulfil the plan of providing a record-breaking, almost 1,200 km long submarine cable”, he said.
Peter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Minister of Trade and Foreign Affairs. Photo: Ministry of Economy
The four countries signed the project in December, with the projected infrastructure enabling the countries of the South Caucasus and Romania to take advantage of “broadened export opportunities” and trade in electricity at hourly market prices.
The next meeting between the sides is scheduled to be held in Bucharest, Romania.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday discussed his country’s European integration prospects and the Black Sea submarine cable international project with Péter Szijjártó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
Georgian Government officials and professionals from the Italian consulting company CESI on Tuesday visited western Georgia's Black Sea coastal town of Anaklia to select the approximate route and locations for the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project, an international initiative to connect the South Caucasus power grid to that of Europe.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday stressed the importance of the recently signed Black Sea submarine cable international project and said the endeavour was a “Georgian initiative", in remarks to the Ambassadors Conference in Tbilisi.
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The European Union “strongly supports” the Black Sea submarine cable project, a new transmission route to deliver green energy from Azerbaijan to Europe, and hopes the South Caucasus will become a “very important” source of energy for Europe, Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, said on Thursday.
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Romeo Mikautadze, the Deputy Economy Minister of Georgia, featured in a meeting on the development and transmission of green energy between the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary, the Ministry said on Thursday.
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Romeo Mikautadze, the Deputy Economy Minister of Georgia, featured in a meeting on the development and transmission of green energy between the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania, the Ministry said on Tuesday.
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Jubo Turashvili, the Head of the Energy Policy and Investment Projects Department of the Ministry of Economy of Georgia, on Thursday highlighted the country’s “strategic location” in comments that confirmed the Government’s “readiness” to “make a significant contribution” to Europe's energy security.
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Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Friday highlighted the importance of the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project, a new transmission route to deliver green energy from the South Caucasus to Europe, at the second Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting in Baku.