Georgia deepens energy cooperation with Iran, Armenia and Russia

Georgia, Iran, Armenia and Russia are deepening cooperation in the energy sector by increasing the efficiency of the countries’ electrical systems.

Today the four nations signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) that envisaged greater cooperation in the energy sector.

Georgia’s Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze visited Armenia’s capital of Yerevan to sign the document.

The MoC envisages the establishment of a coordination council and a regional dispatch centre to help the four countries react faster and more efficiently to crisis and emergency situations.

The action will also allow parties to develop multi-national electricity transit and trade.

The MoC will also promote the development of a proper system and inter-system infrastructure.

During Kaladze’s visit to Yerevan, the Georgian official met Armenia’s Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and discussed ways to deepen bilateral relations and future cooperation prospects.

East-West Gas Pipeline officially opens in Turkmenistan

The East-West Gas Pipeline to deliver gas from Turkmenistan through Georgia officially opened yesterday.

Georgia’s Economy Minister Dimitry Kumishvili attended the East-West Gas Pipeline commissioning ceremony in Turkmenistan.

The ceremony was also attended by Energy Ministers from Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine as well as high officials from the Energy Ministries of Romania and Russia. The heads of large corporations operating in the gas sector also attended today’s ceremony.

The East-West Gas Pipeline runs from the Shatlyk gas compressor station in the Mary province, where Turkmenistan’s largest gas fields Galkynysh and Dovletabad are located, to Europe via the Belek gas compressor station in the western Balkan province.

Earlier it was announced that European Union (EU) is expected to receive gas from Turkmenistan by 2019.

The 800km-long pipeline will have an annual capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas.

Georgia completed building and rehabilitating its section of the East-West Gas Pipeline in March this year.

The project was financed by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), who allocated $62 million USD for the project back in 2010.

Georgia’s Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said the rehabilitation and expansion project of the pipeline supported the development of Georgia’s safe energy infrastructure. As well as being a transit nation, Georgia will also be able to access some of the gas being transported from Turkmenistan. In March Kaladze said the project was particularly beneficial for residents in western Georgia as it will provide the region with a stable gas supply.

The new pipeline will also increase the capacity of transported gas.

Within the framework of the East-West Gas Pipeline Rehabilitation project, a 150km section of the pipeline was upgraded and a number of sections were also renewed. These were the Senaki-Poti, Abasha-Senaki, Kutaisi-Abasha, Zestaponi-Kutaisi and Gori-Kareli sections. (Agenda.ge)