Enguri HPP closes for renovation works for three months

By Khatia Bzhalava

Tuesday, January 19

Enguri hydroelectric power plant was first opened in 1987 and is the largest electricity producer in Georgia.

According to the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Natia Turnava, while the dam is closed, the occupied region of Abkhazia will receive imported electricity from Russia and the Georgian side will not participate in this process.

Starting January 20, the largest hydroelectric power plant in Georgia, Enguri HPP, will be closed for 3 months due to renovation works. Enguri HPP was opened in 1987 and the last complex repair works were carried out 15 years ago. According to the Minister of Economy Natia Turnava, the Enguri HPP Rehabilitation Project, which will ultimately ensure the reduction of water loss by the power plant, is a large-scale project and critical to our country's energy security. Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Natia Turnava noted that shutting down the Enguri HPP will not damage our energy system, as seasonal production is minimal at this time. According to her, renovation works will be carried out 24 hours a day in order to complete the works on time.The commissioning of the HPP is scheduled for May 1, 2021.

The total cost of the rehabilitation project is Euro45 million, of which Euro7 million is a grant from the EU and Euro38 million is a financial resource from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Turnava has discussed information about the preparatory works for the large-scale project in detail with the representatives of the state agencies of the country's energy sector and construction companies (Georgian, German and Turkish) implementing the rehabilitation-repair project.

Director of Enguri HPP Levan Mebonia stated that renovation of the HPP had already begun, but now it is planned to completely repair the tunnel which requires the closure of the HPP until the end of April. He noted that while the HPP is closed, Georgia will lose more than 400 million kWh of electricity.

Enguri hydropower plant supplies Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia. According to Turnava, during the shutdown of the HPP, Abkhazia will receive electricity imported from Russia.