Construction of Black Sea power lines in Georgia will be finished by the beginning of the next year

Construction of the Black Sea transmission line will be completed in early 2013. According to the Head of Georgian State Electrical system, Sulkhan Zumburidze, the project is funded by EC NIF, KfW, EBRD and EI, and its estimated cost is 300 million euros.

In the framework of the project, the building-rehabilitation of 500/400 kilowatt of power lines is being planned. A new power substation 500/400/220 watt will be constructed in Akhaltsikha and the new plant of transforming dc power of 700 megawatts (and later 1050 MW)  will be developed, "Business of Georgia" reports.

As a part of the project, the country's electricity surfeit will be exported to Turkey.

As Zumburidze explains, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will finance the project with 80 million euros, the European Investment Bank (EIB) - also with 80 million euros, the German Credit Bank for Reconstruction (KFW) - with 100 million euros, and the share of the Georgian government’s financing will be 32 million euros. In addition, NIF (EU) will finance the project with a grant of 8 million euros.

The project will be implemented in three phases: package A –constructing 500 and 400 kilowatts transmission lines, package B –constructing and rehabilitating substations, and package C - constructing a Back to Back Station.

According to Zumburidze, package A is being carried out by the Indian company «KEC» and the value of its contract with the Georgian state is 55.9 million euros.

Package B is being implemented by the Austrian SIEMENS. The contract is worth 35.7 million euros. As for package C, it is being carried out by the German SIEMENS, and the cost of the project is 133.8 million euros.

As Zumburidze explains, more than 50% of the construction project of the Black Sea network of transmission lines has been completed.