MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Georgia's energy system has been enriched with another new facility - the Georgian State Electrosystem has completed the construction of the Tskaltubo 500 substation. First Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, along with the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, participated in the completion ceremony of this significant facility for the development of the country's power transmission network.

"When we say that we are building an independent, dignified, European state that must take its place in the international community, along with many priority directions, we also mean maximizing its energy potential, because Georgia truly has the resources to create not only the energy capacities necessary for the country's domestic consumption through sound policies and the support of our society, but also to become a reliable partner for other countries, including European states, in terms of energy cooperation," –Levan Davitashvili said in his speech at the event.

Moreover, as the First Vice Prime Minister noted, the Georgian government has an ambitious plan to not only double but also increase the country's installed capacity to 10 000 MW by 2030, which will fully ensure high economic growth rates and also develop new, energy-intensive industries.

The Tskaltubo 500 project was implemented within the framework of the "Reliability and Financial Recovery of the Energy Supply" project, with the financial support of the World Bank. The project was supervised by a joint venture of foreign companies, Decon International GmbH, while the design and construction works were carried out by the Turkish company BEST. The event was attended by the Turkish Ambassador to Georgia, Ali Kaan Orbay, heads of energy companies, and other high-ranking guests.

It should be noted that the construction of the substation employed about 350 people. Construction work began in 2022 and was completed in 2024, with the project costing 19,8 million USD. The commissioning of the substation will significantly strengthen the high-voltage transmission network and make it possible to meet the growing demand for electricity and maximize the country's electricity export and transit potential.

"It is very important to increase connectivity with neighboring countries - Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey, as well as to ensure direct connection with the European Union through the flagship Black Sea submarine cable project. All this will allow us to make our electric power sector even more attractive to investors and build both generation facilities and high-standard substations in Georgia, such as "Tskaltubo 500",” – the First Vice Prime Minister noted.

Moreover, according to Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian State Electrosystem is already implementing a project involving the construction of an 80-kilometer 500 kV power transmission line, which will connect the Tskaltubo and Jvari 500 kV substations. According to the First Vice Prime Minister, this will be a very important link in the transmission infrastructure, which will enable the use of energy resources available in Western Georgia for both domestic energy and its export, including to the Republic of Turkey.

"I am deeply convinced that such a pace of energy development will be maintained in our country thanks to peace, stability, the wise and consistent policy of the government, and in general, the wisdom of our nation, and will allow us to become one of the distinguished countries in the energy sector, one of the successful ones on an international scale," – Levan Davitashvili said.