Energy expert Gia Arabidze suggests that introducing tiered natural gas tariffs in Georgia may be linked to the cost of purchasing more expensive imported gas.
Speaking to TV program Business Course, Arabidze said the public has not been informed of the pricing details of the new 20-year gas supply agreement between the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation and Azerbaijan’s state-owned SOCAR.
The previous agreement, under which Georgia received 500 million cubic meters of gas annually at a preferential price, expires at the end of 2026. Under the new deal, the guaranteed volume will remain the same, with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze saying the preferential pricing will also continue.
Arabidze said he could not rule out that higher gas procurement costs may require compensation from the government or suppliers. Parliament has recently approved legislation allowing household gas and water tariffs to vary according to consumption volumes.
