Construction of the Dariali Hydro-Electro Station Started

Construction of 109 kilowatt hydro-electro station Dariali has started in Kazbegi district. Director General of the Darial-Energy, Ltd Lasha Iordanashvili confirmed the information with the Information Center of Mtkheta-Mtianeti.

Analytic of the Association Green Alternative Keti Gujaraidze said several days ago that Darial Energy had not properly evaluated the negative impact of the construction of the HES on the environment yet. However, general director of the Darial Energy denied the information.

“We started our activities with the evaluation of the impact on the environment. We invited foreign specialists; we met local inhabitants and organized a huge presentation of the project in Kazbegi. We carried out all introductory procedures in compliance with standards. Unless we had evaluated the impact on the environment, no financial institute would have invested money in our project,” said Iordanishvili.

According to the ICMM, the presentation of the project was held in Stepantsminda on August 12 and the Darial Energy presented the preliminary report about the impact on the environment.

In accordance to the “Involvement Program for the Interested Parties” published on the official website of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia, Darial Energy shall deliver the report on the “Evaluation of the Impact on Environment” to the Ministry by early November.

DarialHES will be constructed on the right bank of the River Tergi between Kuro and Khdi Rivers near the Russian-Georgian Boarder in Kazbegi district. 120 million USD will be invested in the construction and about 150 persons will be employed on the construction. According to the project, the HES will start in 2014.

In winter, Georgian population will use the electricity produced by DarialHES but in summer it will be exported in Turkey.

Agreement on the construction of Dariali Hydro-Electro-Station between the government of Georgia and Darial Energy was signed on May 19, 2011. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia Aleksandre Khetaguri and director of the Darial Energy Lasha Iordanishvili signed the document.

ICMM