Energy Minister Comments on Damage to Power Line
Energy Minister Nika Gilauri hinted that sabotage, which damaged a high-voltage power line the Kodori gorge – the only part of breakaway Abkhazia under Tbilisi’s control – on March 27 might be linked to a prison riot which took place in Tbilisi’s 5th prison early on Monday.
“Early this morning, at approximately 6 am, when the prison riot was underway in Tbilisi – coincidently, or not – sabotage took place against the energy system, as a bullet damaged the Kavkasioni power line near the village of Sakeni [in the Kodori gorge] … Repair works are underway and we think that the power line will be restored within approximately one day, or, at the latest, in a day and a half,” Gilauri said.
He said that this coincidece of a prison riot and sabotage against the power line “is very suspicious as this kind of sabotage has not occurred for a long time.”
“Law enforcers will probe into this case,” Gilauri added.
The Kavkasioni power line transmits about 80-90 megawatt of electricity to Georgia from Russia.
“Currently, the import [of electricity] from Russia has stopped, but despite this we continue the electricity supply to entire country without any problems. The 9th, 4th and 10th power plants, as well as the gas turbine generator are working, so we have no problems,” Gilauri said.
