Adjaristsqali Georgia says Shuakhevi HPP, Didachara dam “fully compliant” with local, int’l standards

Adjaristsqali Georgia, the company developing the Shuakhevi hydropower plant project on the river of Adjaristsqali in the western Adjara region, on Wednesday responded media reports alleging violations of safety standards of Didachara dam, a part of the project, by declaring “with full responsibility” that the facility was “structurally stable, safe in terms of operation and fully compliant with Georgian and international standards”.

The company was responding to a report aired by the Mtavari Arkhi TV this week and showing footage of water leaks from a damaged main dividing wall of the dam, raising concerns about the condition of the structure.  

Built in early 2017, the Didachara dam meets all international technical requirements, and all structures are subject to routine maintenance work in accordance with pre-written schedules and procedures [...] Didachara dam is continuously monitored by the best instruments installed on the dam and visual inspection”, the statement said.

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The company also said it had hired international specialists in the field as an “additional measure” for ensuring the facility’s safe operation, adding the duties of the professionals included checking safety and stability, preparing relevant recommendations and, in case of need, carrying out additional works on the dam’s construction.

The statement also noted the professionals had conducted a “detailed assessment” of the Didachara dam between January-March 2023, “verified relevant data and prepared a conclusion according to which the dam construction is safe, and water discharge at the [facility] is within design limits”.