The Parliament is discussing the Namakhvani HPP project. Economy Minister Natia Turnava and Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection are being heard at the session. The sitting is attended by experts, energy specialists, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations and "Rioni Gorge Defenders".
Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture presented a chronology of decisions made on the project.
The Ministry made the final decision based on the environmental impact assessment on February 28, 2020, and determined more than 20 conditions that the company must meet during the construction of Kvemo Namakhvani HPP. Prior to this decision, the department started discussions on the project's environmental impact in 2015.
Levan Davitashvili notes, that according to geological studies, the dam is built in dense rocks. As of the research report, the dam will be established in dense rocks, which reduces geological risks.
According to the Ministry, ENKA Renewables Ltd was instructed to fulfill the following conditions in terms of geology:
•ENKA Renewables Ltd must ensure gradual monitoring of the surrounding landslides before the start of construction and during the construction-operation phase (especially to control their impact on reservoir sustainability) and submit the results to the Ministry once every 6 months;
• ENKA Renewables Ltd must provide detailed engineering-geological survey of both diversion and intake tunnel routes (parallel to the construction of the tunnel) and submit the results to the Ministry;
• ENKA Renewables Ltd must provide the results of hydrogeological monitoring of springs in the area (once a year). Particular attention should be paid to the water supply facilities of the settlements and in case of possible reduction or loss of their debit due to the impact of the HPP infrastructure, the population should be provided with alternative water supply.
According to Levan Davitashvili, the impact of the hydropower plant on the thermal waters of Tskaltubo is excluded.
"As for the possible impact of the construction of Kvemo Namakhvani HPP on the healing thermal-mineral waters of the resort Tskaltubo; the Kvemo Namakhvani HPP area is absolutely not geologically related to the Tskaltubo healing thermal-mineral waters. Therefore, the impact of the infrastructure of Kvemo Namakhvani HPP on Tskaltubo resort is excluded,” said the Minister.
