Abkhazia to Face Electricity Supply Problems, Georgian Officials Say

Officials in Tbilisi are predicting complete blackout in Abkhazia from late February in case of failure to reduce the region’s power consumption or to secure additional supplies of electricity from sources other than the Enguri hydropower plant, Abkhazia’s main energy supplier.

Asked about the issue, Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said on January 11 that he would meet the Abkhaz side “in the nearest future.” “There are problems with electricity supply … We will talk on this matter. But like last year, we will make sure, that they have no problems with respect to electricity supply,” Kaladze added referring to the government’s decision in February 2016 to import Russian electricity for preventing power shortages in Abkhazia.

“Current water level will be sufficient until February 20 … If the Abkhaz side does not import [the electricity], they will have serious problems or they will need to reduce the power consumption before that, so that the water level stays sufficient until the first week of April,” Engurhesi Ltd’s General Manager Levan Mebonia told the press on January 11.

Breakaway Abkhazia fully relies on electricity generated by the Enguri hydropower plant, whose 271.5-meter-tall concrete arch dam is located on the Georgian side of the administrative border and its five generators are on the Abkhaz side in Gali district. According to a long-standing, informal agreement between Tbilisi and Sokhumi 40% of the electricity generated by the plant goes to Abkhazia and the rest 60% is received by rest of Georgia.

In 2015 Georgia distributed 1,797 million kWh electricity to Abkhazia, 17.31% of Georgia’s overall consumption, according to Georgia’s Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission’s report. In 2014 and 2013 Abkhazia was supplied by 1,638 million kWh electricity (16.11%) and 1,605 million kWh electricity (16.57%) respectively.