Georgia Starts Electricity Exports to Russia

Feb 17, 2009 - Daily News Bulletin

Moscow - Georgia has begun electricity exports to Russia. Some 2.4 million kilowatt/hours are being transmitted by the Kavkasioni power line per day, a source at the Electricity System Commercial Operator (ESCO) told Interfax.

The beginning of electricity exports were due to the sharp increase of the water level in the dam lakes of Georgian hydropower plants, he said. "Thus, Russian electricity imports, which had been conducted through Kavkasioni since the middle of last November, stopped," the source said.

Georgia and Russia have an agreement on electricity exchange. Georgia receives electricity in fall and winter, and returns the supplies in spring and summer.

"As of now, Georgia owes about 60 million kilowatt/hours of electricity to Russia. The spring thaw is early this year, so the electric power is being returned from the middle of February," the source said.