Georgia - Between Orient and Occident

The country produces most of its energy needs through hydropower, which is the only significant energy resource in Georgia. Natural gas and oil products have to be impor­ted. A total installed hydropower capacity of about 3,164 MW
produces some 9,210 GWh annually, covering 80% of national electricity supply. Nonetheless, with several hundred rivers Georgia still has an impressive technically feasible hydropower potential of about 80,000 GWh/year.

To boost economic growth, reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels and strengthen and stabilize the national grid, Georgia has signed memoranda of understanding with the EU and China. These deals are designed to enable the financing of new hydropower projects and the rehabilitation of existing hydropower plants. By the end of 2017, Georgia had signed agreements with developers for 124 hydropower projects, representing a total capacity of some 3,747 MW and a combined output of almost 15,000 GWh annually.

As a result, numerous hydropower projects are currently under construction or in the development and planning phase as Georgia intends to at least double the national power output. Georgia wants both domestic and foreign investments to not only harness the national hydropower potential, but also to take advantage of a newly-commissioned Black Sea transmission line for power exports to Turkey.

ANDRITZ Hydro in Georgia

Since the 1950s, ANDRITZ Hydro and its predecessor companies have been executing hydropower projects in Georgia. In total, we have delivered 28 units with a total capacity of 362 MW across 14 hydropower plants. With the interesting investment potential in Georgia ANDRITZ Hydro decided to open a representative office in the capital city of Tbilisi. This office supports local activi­ties and allows the company to closely follow the hydropower project landscape. Currently, four ­hydropower plants with eight units and a total capacity of 352 MW are under ­construction in Georgia. Major projects such as Avani, Dashbashi, Oroz­mani, Kha­dori, and Zhoti have to be mentioned in the ­context of mo­dern Georgian hydropower development and ANDRITZ Hydro.

For the Dariali hydropower plant the scope of the supply for ANDRITZ Hydro comprised the entire electro-mechanical equipment including three 37 MW Pelton turbines and generators, GIS switchgear and the generator step-up transformers. At the time the contract was signed, Dariali was the largest privately owned hydropower plant in Georgia. Since commissioning, the plant has been providing renewable and sustainable electricity to the Georgian national grid.