Transmission line substation opened in Akhaltsikhe
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Thursday, December 12
On December 11, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze opened a power transmission line with a 400 kilovolt capacity connecting the Georgian and Turkish power systems and Akhaltsikhe substation with a capacity of 500/400/200 kilovolts in the Akhaltsikhe region (Samtskhe-Javakheti region, South Georgia).
The opening ceremony was attended by the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz, and Minister of Industry and Energy of Azerbaijan, Natig Aliyev, as representatives of the Georgian Cabinet of Ministers and international organizations attended the opening ceremony. The event was also attended by a delegation of Turkish businessmen who invest in the energy sector.
The Borchkha connecting substation 400 KV transmission line and Akhaltsikhe substation was built as part of the Black Sea Transmission Network project.
This facility connecting the power systems of Georgia and Turkey is very significant for Georgia and the whole region, said Prime Minister, Irakli Garibashvili, speaking at the opening ceremony.
“Together with our partners from Azerbaijan and Turkey, we managed to ensure the connection of our countries' power systems. With the help of this facility, we will be able to ensure the export, import and transit of electricity not only to Turkey, but also European countries,” Garibashvili stressed.
According to Gharibashvili, the new facility will ensure the sustainable development of Georgia's power system and the improvement of electricity supply to the country.
“We will be able to sell the surplus electricity to Turkey in the summer period,” Garibashvili said.
Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said that within this project investment in Georgia was carried out with 250 million euro through the financial support from international financial institutions.
“This project will contribute to the sustainability of our nation's electricity system, attracting investment, increasing exports and cross-border trade in electricity,” stated Kaladze.
