The Meeting of Government of Georgia was held on October 22, 2009. Agenda covered 56 items.
Prior to the meeting, the Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri stated: "I want to advise the audience on the progress of the top projects which started this year, or will be started within the next 2-3 months. Such projects provide for construction of gas, HPPs and high-voltage transmission lines''.
The Prime Minister asked Dato Tkeshelashvili to provide information on construction of Gombori, Samtskhe-Javakheti and East-West highways.
According to the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Tkeshelashvili, the key projects cover a speedway connecting Tbilisi-Igoeti and Igoeti-Gori.
"A double free highway will be built from Tbilisi to Gori. Our main promise was beginning of construction of Tbilisi-Gombori-Telavi road. We started the said works last week. The road coming from Tbilisi to Telavi will be entirely rehabilitated by the turn of August 2010. It should be noted that there were certain interruptions in construction of Tbilisi-Samtskhe-Javakheti road, but now the companies have been operating efficiently. Our key objective is to finish the said works in October-November, 2010.
Construction of a speedway in the Western Georgia will begin in the first half of 2010 construction 2010. It will consist of two projects: the first - construction of Zestafoni-Samtredia highway, and the second - construction of a bypass highway in Ajara which will drive us from Choloki, administrative border of Ajara, to Turkey by a new road. It should be noted that this road will go around Kobuleti and Batumi. Preparatory works will be finished in the end of 2009.
The said projects are financed by USD 4.5 billion - financial assistance provided by donor organizations.
The main thing is that several thousands of additional workplaces will be created in construction process, both in Imereti and Ajara Regions.
Nika Gilauri also talked about about the ongoing works in energy sector and stated that projects to be implemented within the next year in this direction will build thousands of workplaces. As per construction of HPPs, the Prime Minister asked Aleksandre Khetaguri to report on this matter.
The Minister of Energy Aleko Khetaguri stated that construction of three hydropower plants will start this year. "Please note that construction of a 9-megawatt Bakhva HPP, which is located in Guria, started in July and has been effectively moving forward. Phase I includes construction of access roads and preparation of a construction site. Orders regarding hydraulic equipment have been already made. Construction of this HPP will be finished in a year and a half.
On this 6th of November construction of a 41-megawatt Mtkvari HPP on the Mtkvari River, near to Akhaltsikhe Region, will be opened officially. In the first half of December we'll officially open a 78-megawatt Paravani HPP. It is a very important capacity. One construction will be finished in three years and a half, and the other one will be finished in two years.
In September we'll start construction of a new transmission line. This line is financed by USD 4.5 billion financial assistance rendered by donor organizations. Total project value will be EUR 280 million. This project will be finished in May, 2012.
For this time we'll have excess electric power export potential to Turkey. It should be noted that Turkish market is a more expensive market as compared to other markets.
It was the first year when we exported electric power in the four directions. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Russia were fully loaded. Currently, we are ensuring export to Turkey and, within the scope of our capabilities, we'll export to Russia in winter period.
Nika Gilauri stated that that the key question of the past 3-4 years was saving power for winter. "People have had little interest in this question recently. Probably, they have forgotten the time when operation and interruption of the power-generating unit #9 was the top news in the country. Although, it would be interesting to know as to what extent the energy system is ready for the winter season, as well as the water level in HPPs", the Prime Minister asked Aleko Khetaguri.
According to the Minister of Energy, the energy system is ready. All works, both power supply and natural gas supply, have been performed. The sources of natural gas supply have been already diversified to the maximum extent. Routine repair works have been done on all substations. Now, one can put a question: what is the volume of export to be performed in winter.
Furthermore, the Georgian Prime Minister asked the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Goga Khachidze to provide information on supply the population with firewood.
Goga Khachidze stated that firewood timber had been allocated on time. "Citizens have been already taking firewood timber to home. Precipitations caused problems. Many roads leading to wood cutting areas are sloughed and unavailable. We are making appropriate arrangements to settle the said problems: we are trying to improve roads and wood cutting areas and transfer them to available places with the help of the population.
I want to call citizens to be more responsible and careful. Last week we had 9 seats of fire. Just now we have fire cases in Racha, Guria, Kakheti and Svaneti. Forestry Department together with the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the appropriate equipment and aviation have been mobilized. We have all resources to fight the fire. The fire will be localized", stated the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
As per this matter Koba Subeliani stated that the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources had allocated wood cutting areas according to the populated areas where refugees affected by the Russian war are settled. "We can overwinter without problems. We'll have firewood for IDPs from Abkhazia. Where gas and electric power is available, IDPs will be provided therewith," added the Minister of Refuges and Settlement.
PM's Press Center