Tbilisi Local Council Protests Against Electricity Tariff Increase

(Tbilisi, April 4, Civil Georgia) – Tbilisi Sakrebulo’s [elected local council] factions expressed protest on April 4 against further increase of electricity tariff in Georgian capital.

US electricity-distributing company AES-Telasi applied to the Georgian National Energy Regulatory Commission on April 3 for the electricity rate in Tbilisi to be increased from 12.4 to 15.2 Tetri [approximately $0.75] per 1 kilowatt.

Tbilisi Sakrebulo factions demand from the government not to let the US company to increase tariff, otherwise they threaten with the mass protests.

Last year electricity price in Tbilisi increased from 9.8 to 12.4 Tetri while tariff on electricity in the rest of the country is approximately 8.4 Teti.

The AES Corporation purchased Tbilisi electricity-distributing company Telasi for $25 million in 1998.

AES-Telasi general director Ignacio Iribarren stated on April 3 that the AES board of directors would meet in Washington on 26 April to decide on the company’s future in Georgia.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)