Construction of the 500-kwt Tskaltubo–Akhaltsikhe transmission line is underway, while the planned Akhaltsikhe–Tortum connection will strengthen Georgia’s electricity links with Turkey and European energy systems, Georgian State Electrosystem head Davit Vardiashvili said.
Work is currently progressing on the 104-kilometer, double-circuit Tskaltubo–Akhaltsikhe line, including foundation construction and tower installation. The project also includes a 400-kwt, single-circuit line connecting Akhaltsikhe with Tortum in Turkey. The infrastructure is expected to expand electricity export capacity, facilitate the integration of renewable energy into the grid and improve the stability and reliability of Georgia’s transmission network. A backup network for the Enguri–Zestafoni–Akhaltsikhe 500-kilovolt corridor is also planned.
The project has an investment value of approximately €65.5 million. India’s KEC International Limited is carrying out construction, while Germany’s Fichtner GmbH is providing engineering supervision. The project is co-financed by Germany’s development bank KfW and the European Union under the Energy Network Improvement Programme (ENIP).
The project has faced repeated delays since it first appeared in the state budget in 2019, when its estimated cost was GEL 157.5 million and completion was planned for 2022. The budgeted cost subsequently increased by GEL 271.6 million to approximately €65.56 million. According to Georgia’s 2026 budget, construction is now scheduled for completion in 2028.
