India’s largest integrated power company Tata Power, together with Norway’s Clean Energy Invest (CEI), and the International Financial Corporation (IFC) started the commercial operation of the 178 megawatts (MW) Shuakhevi Hydro Power Project (HPP) located in southwest Georgia.
The joint venture, called Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC, will be soon commissioning the 9 MW Skhalta Hydro Power project which is also a component of the overall Shuakhevi Project scheme.
The Shuakhevi HPP is the only project in Georgia’s energy sector which has been funded by three of the largest financial institutes such as the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.
“The commercial operation of the Shuakhevi HPP is an important milestone for Tata Power and its partners,” commented Praveer Sinha, CEO and Managing Director at Tata Power. “The Shuakhevi HPP represents the largest and most influential energy project in the last 70 years. The success of the 178 MW Shuakhevi HPP cascades is crucial for the integrity, security and independence of energy in Georgia.”
The project will generate around 450 gigawatts per hour (GWh) of clean energy to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by more than 200,000 tonnes a year.
The successful completion and start of commercial operations are considered crucial for the integrity, security and energy independence of Georgia. The power generated by the project will be exclusively sold within Georgia throughout the winter which is a period of energy deficit.
