Georgia plans to cover electricity shortage from 2018

Georgia plans to completely withdraw from importing electricity from 2018, according to the statement of the Georgian Energy Ministry posted on its website.

With the electricity import totalling 0.75 billion kilowatt hours in 2015, by constructing new power plants, Georgia plans to reduce the electricity import (shortage) to 0.21 billion kilowatt hours in 2016, 0.23 billion kilowatt hours in 2017 and to completely cover the current shortage of electricity starting from 2018, said the statement.

Electricity generation in Georgia will increase from 10.96 billion kilowatt hours in 2015 to 12 billion kilowatt hours in 2016, 12.74 billion kilowatt hours - in 2017 and 2018, 13.71 billion kilowatt hours - in 2019 and 15.15 billion kilowatt hours - in 2020, according to the Energy Ministry’s plans.

The forecasted volume of electricity generation in Georgia is 37.67 billion kilowatt hours in 2025 and 50.31 billion kilowatt hours in 2030.

The majority of Georgia's electricity is produced in hydropower plans.

According to the forecasts of the Georgian Ministry of Energy, the country's hydropower stations will generate 8.7 billion kilowatt / hours of electricity in 2015, 9.36 billion kilowatt hours in 2016, 10.03 billion kilowatt hours in 2017, 11.28 billion kilowatt hours in 2018, 12.3 billion kilowatt hours in 2019, 13.24 billion kilowatt hours in 2020. The electricity generation by Georgia's hydropower stations is projected at 24.4 billion kilowatt hours in 2025, 24.4 billion kilowatt hours in 2030.

The demand for electricity on the domestic market of Georgia will also grow, but at a slower pace. In particular, it is predicted that the demand for electricity in Georgia will increase from 10.44 billion kilowatt hours in 2015 to 10.74 billion kilowatt / hours - in 2016, 11.08 billion kilowatt hours - in 2017. The demand is predicted at 9.67 billion kilowatt hours in 2018, 10.15 billion kilowatt hours in 2019, 10.66 billion kilowatt hours in 2020, 13.61 billion kilowatt hours in 2025, and 17.37 billion kilowatt hours in 2030.

The surplus electricity is to be exported. The export of electricity from Georgia is expected to reach 0.57 billion kilowatt hours in 2015, 0.98 billion kilowatt hours in 2016, 1.37 billion kilowatt hours in 2017, 2.56 billion kilowatt hours in 2018, 3.01 billion kilowatt hours in 2019. The electricity export is to be increased up to 3.88 billion kilowatt hours in 2020, up to 22.57 billion kilowatt hours in 2025, up to 31.15 billion kilowatt hours in 2030. (Trend.az)