BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 30
Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Georgia's economic and energy independence is based on the construction of the Namakhvani hydroelectric power station (HPP), said Natia Turnava, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Trend reports via Georgian media.
She made the remark after inspecting the ongoing restoration work at the Inguri HPP, in presence of Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.
According to Turnava, work is being carried out in accordance with the planned schedule. As she noted, over the past 20 years, such a large-scale rehabilitation has not been carried out at the Inguri HPP - in particular, rehabilitation work worth about 50 million euros.
“We need to build large hydroelectric power plants such as Namakhvani, Khudoni and Nenskra. A development fund in the amount of $5 million will be created to cover all the needs of the local population and, if necessary, increase it. A public council will be created to oversee the construction,” said Turnava.
She said in 2014 the country signed an Association Agreement with the European Union, and in 2017, when it became a member of the European Energy Union.
“Since then, all our projects - from the power transmission cable in the Black Sea to the Namakhvani HPP and the development of local hydropower in general - are a step towards the entire European system. This is why it is very important to us," said Turnava.
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