Energy Minister Defends Enguri HPP Deal

Energy Minister, Alexandre Khetaguri, said Georgia anyway had no levers to fully control the Enguri hydro power plant and the deal with Russia’s electricity Inter RAO could no way worsen this condition.

The Enguri HPP’s five generators are located on the Abkhaz side of the administrative border, and its arch dam is located on the Georgian-controlled territory.
 
“Even if, let’s say, today Russians switch off the generators, there is nothing we can do about it; but with this deal we gain additional guarantees that this will not happen, because Russians themselves will be interested in proper operation of the plant and on the other hand the Russian company guarantees its commitments with its serious assets in Georgia,” Khetaguri told lawmakers on January 13.

He was speaking at a meeting with members from the parliamentary committee on sector economy during which he was grilled by the parliamentary minority lawmakers over the deal with Inter RAO.

Inter RAO’s assets in Georgia include 75% of electricity distribution company in Tbilisi – Telasi, as well as two thermal power generating plants – unit number 9 and unit number 10 (the latter is not currently functioning). Inter RAO also has the management right of two hydro power plants – Khrami I and Khrami II.

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