2022 ‘record year’ with least water spillage and higher electricity generation; says Deputy Economy Minister

Tbilisi: The Economy Minister of Georgia, Romeo Mikautadze, during the celebration event of Energy Workers Day, called 2022, a record year as the year marks zero wastage of the falling water from the hydroelectric power plants, thus ensuring every cubic metre is being used to generate electricity. 

Mikautadze said that the electrical energy data of the local electricity generation, reaching up to 10 billion kWh, exhibited a spike of 23%, in comparison to the same period of the previous year and 13% higher than that in 2018, which was the peak of the output then. Meanwhile, the local consumption is also being stated to be 8% higher than the previous year.

As per the Deputy Minister, the increase in consumption directly implies prosperity, progress and development. Providing the citizens and the budding businesses in the country with safe, clean and affordable energy is what the government is looking after to. 

Additionally, the main goal of the government is to ensure the country’s energy security, and availability of adequate and reliable energy sources.

Currently, the energy sector of Georgia is relying upon hydroelectric plants as more than two-thirds of local generation has been sourced from them. Moreover, the current year’s statistics revealed the share of the hydroelectric plants in the total output was recorded at 82%, in which almost 42% came from the regulating stations, told Mikautadze as he reviewed the present situation of Georgia’s energy sector.

2022 has also been the first year when the connecting line Meskheti with Türkiye has been completely loaded, carrying out both transit and exports. The energy system in Georgia is also being upgraded with the addition of new energy facilities, including two thermal and one wind power plant.

Georgia is in alignment with the idea of mitigating the impacts of climate change. Therefore the country seeks to improve the quality of energy security by resorting to the utilisation of abundantly renewable energy resources like hydropower. 

 The country has signed 61 memorandums of understanding with investors in 2022, which will bring in the $704 million that can potentially add 1.6 billion kWh to local generation annually. Also, the increasing interest in the construction of solar and wind power plants is a good sign for the country’s development, said the Deputy Minister.