UES Dismisses Responsibility for Recent Blackout in Georgia

(Tbilisi, August 19, 2003, Civil Georgia) – The Unified Energy System of Russia (UES) says it has no link with the recent power failure in Georgia.

“Some Georgian opposition parties claim that the recent energy problems in the country are connected with the entry of UES into the Georgian market. It aims at scoring additional points on the eve of the parliamentary elections,” the press release issued by the UES on August 18 reads.

The failure of the high voltage power line, Kolkheti, blacked out most of the Georgian regions, including the capital city of Tbilisi on August 18. The Kolkheti power line supplies Georgia with elect!
ricity from the Enguri hydro power plant, located in the Abkhazian conflict zone.

According to the press release, the opposition parties also accuse UES of increasing electricity taxes, while the Russian company had taken no steps in this direction.

In early August Russia’s state-owned Unified Energy System purchased a 75 percent stake in the Telasi electricity distribution facility from the U.S. company AES. However, the Russian company will start to work in Georgia from the 1st of September.

The Justice Ministry of Georgia approved on August 15 the proposal of the National Energy Regulatory Commission to introduce differentiated electricity tax in the country.

The increase of electricity tax is one of the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund.