Hydropower projects with a combined installed capacity of 360 MW are currently under construction in Georgia, with total estimated investment exceeding $500 million, according to the Ministry of Economy. The projects are at various stages of development, with some nearing completion.
Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili said developing the energy sector is strategically important for both economic growth and energy security. The government’s long-term energy strategy and 10-year action plan aim to make Georgia’s electricity sector fully self-sufficient by 2036. Hydropower currently accounts for around 70-80% of the country’s total electricity generation.
The ministry said hydropower output varies seasonally: during periods of high river flows in spring and summer, Georgia can meet domestic demand and export electricity, while lower winter generation increases the need for imports and gas-fired thermal power plants. It therefore sees the development of reservoir-based hydropower plants as particularly important for storing water for use during the winter months.
In addition to the 360 MW of projects under construction, hydropower projects with a combined capacity of more than 1 GW are currently at the feasibility-study stage, with estimated investment of $1.7 billion. One project nearing completion is the 37.6 MW Stori hydropower cascade in Telavi Municipality, Kakheti, which is expected to generate 208 million kWh annually and join Georgia’s power grid by the end of the year.
