Construction of Shuakhevi Hydro Power Plant Completed

One of the largest Hydro Power Plants (HPP) in Georgia, the Shuakhevi HPP, has reached completion. It is expected to produce 450 gigawatt (GW) hours of power annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200,000 tons per year.

Located in Georgia’s western Adjara region, Shuakhevi HPP is the first hydropower project in Georgia certified by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for carbon emission reduction.

The construction works of the HPP were launched in 2013 and in total $416 million was invested in the project.

Adjaristskali Georgia – a joint venture between India’s Tata Power and Norway's Clean Energy Invest, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) - contributed to the construction of the HPP.

Georgian Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, members of the cabinet and representatives of the project partner and investor companies attended the construction completion ceremony.

The PM said that Shuakhevi HPP will employ 300 people and will contribute to motivating locals not to abandon their native region and will assist the State in promoting development of mountainous Adjara.

“This project has already brought benefits to the local population in terms of social projects, employment and compensation,” Kvirikashvili said. “This serves the economic development of Adjara and will improve the quality of life of the local population”.

He went on to express hope that Shuakhevi HPP will contribute to Georgia's energy independence and will be an exemplary project for potential investors.

Within the framework of the project, 730 citizens of Georgia were employed in construction.

Shuaskevi HPP is the largest station to have been constructed in Georgia in the last 50 years.

Thea Morrison