Georgia plans Qartli expansion

GEORGIA: The government is planning to expand its first wind project to 100MW, as the country moves to speed up its wind power capacity growth.

by Eugene Gerden 27 July 2018

The Vestas-equipped, six-turbine 20.7MW Qartli site was completed in 2016

The 20.7MW Qartli project, the nation's first, was completed in October 2016. 

According to recent statements of a spokesman of Mamuka Bakhtadze, the recently appointed Prime Minister of Georgia, there are now plans to increase capacity fivefold to 100MW.

A further five projects coud be installed in different regions of the country by 2022-23, the spokesman added. 

The government is expected to introduce plans to support domestic renewables producers to help increase clean power generation. 

The 20.7MW Qartli project is located in the Gori municipality of central Georgia and developed by the Georgian Energy Development Fund (GEDF) and the Georgian oil and gas corporation.

The project comprises six Vestas V117-3.45MW turbines.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) arranged a $22 million loan with the help of $12 million from a consortium of four European investors.