GeoSilkRoad Director Davit Tsirdava did not specify the project implementation dates, exact location and investment for this stage, but noted that the HPP project will be implemented through the Kuwaiti investment. The head of a Georgian company that attracts investments to the country says that the HPP in Racha would be built in partnership with the Turkish and possibly the Azerbaijani companies. He said this after meeting with the Azerbaijani companies at the Georgia-Azerbaijan Business Forum organized by the EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC).

"At the end of last year, we signed an important agreement with a Turkish holding company on the implementation of a hydropower project in the country. Today we are negotiating with the Azerbaijani business on the prospects of implementing the HPP project in Racha.

We have three main barriers to overcome when implementing the hydropower project: First of all, we will start communicating with the local population to show the perspectives on the importance of implementing such projects for their village and region. We know the attitude of the population towards energy projects and that is why we want to work properly with the locals. We do not perceive this as a barrier, the main thing is to deliver the information correctly. This will be the first phase of the project implementation, and the second phase involves the full development of the project - the preparation of an environmental impact assessment in cooperation with leading international companies. We want to involve a Spanish company in the research in order to have high credibility for the project. Therefore, we cannot say the exact dates of the project,"- David Tsirdava said. 

The Director of GeoSilkRoad believes that businesses have a great responsibility in implementing energy projects in the country, and in addition to business calculations, they should start long-term projects with long-term training.

“We have the full support of the government, both the Ministry of Economy and the Prime Minister. Meetings were held at both agencies. The main thing is to take the mistakes into account we have made in the last decades.

We are focused on small and medium projects, therefore these ones should be implemented by the business sector itself. I think the Prime Minister's statement in this regard does not concern us. We suppose we will attract additional partners to implement other projects," - Tsirdava explained. 

Source: https://bm.ge/ka/article/quveituri-investiciit-rachashi-sashualo-hesis-ashenebas-igegmeba/109241/