"Engurhesi" is of great importance to the economy of Georgia. 40% of our electricity comes from here, which means that the energy independence of Georgia is directly related to "Engurhesi" and the construction of other hydroelectric power plants.
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"We must think about when we talk too quickly and superficially that hydropower plants can harm nature.
Let's take a look at the nature here, how rich it is, how rich the potential of "Engurhesi" is, how much Georgia needs this potential and how much this bridge is needed for the Abkhazians and us to be together in the future" - said the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, who visited the arch dam of "Engurhesi" as part of her visit to Samegrelo.
According to Salome Zurabishvili, the restoration of "Engurhesi" as an industrial-tourist point, which was already visited by 20,000 tourists this year, has started.
"Engur HPP" is of great importance for our country, not only as a building and a dam, it is our real bridge with Abkhazia because it is jointly managed, and it is probably the only everyday economic activity of its kind. This is what unites us today and what has a great future," the president said.
The duration of the tourist route of Engurhesi Dam is two hours, and visitors can see the dam bridge, shield building, tunnel, reservoir shield section and other places.
Currently, the Energy Development Fund and its subsidiary "Enguri Attraction", headed by Nikoloz Antidze, the former director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Agency, are implementing the project "Engur HPP Arch Dam World-Class Attraction".
Engurhesi hydroelectric power station stretches from Daba Jvri to the Black Sea, over a thousand square kilometres. One of the constituent parts of the hydroelectric station is the dam, with a total height of 271.5 meters and a transverse width is 728 meters; The arch-shaped dam is the second tallest arch dam in the world. The construction of Engurhesi started in 1961 and ended in 1988.
The 10-year plan for developing the transmission network in Georgia (2021-2031) envisages the construction of 123 small, medium and large hydroelectric plants.
Residents and environmental organizations oppose the construction of about ten hydroelectric plants in different regions of the country. Several court cases have also been challenged, mainly due to insufficient research, perceived risks, and decisions made without public participation.
In March 2022, it became known that Namakhvan HPP investor company "Enka Renewables" LLC refused to implement the Namakhvan HPP cascade project and terminated the contract signed with the Georgian government in 2019. The financial report of "Enka Renewables" states that the termination of the agreement was caused by the default of the Georgian government and force majeure. As a result, the company wrote off $40,389,000 worth of property and left the Rion Valley. Continuous protests against the construction of the Namakhvan HPP were led by the movement "Saving the Rion Valley", which explained its opposition to the common dangers and the exploitative terms of the contract between the government and the investor.
Due to the population's opposition, the construction of the 280 MW Nenskra HPP in Zemo Svaneti was stopped. Furthermore, in 2020, the conclusion of the relevant bodies of the financiers of the project - the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) was published, according to which the Nenskra HPP does not meet the standards of the banks in such fundamental issues as the rights of the indigenous population, the protection of cultural heritage, the study of project alternatives, gender issues, transparency of information, the competence of representatives of the company implementing the Nenskra HPP project.
Despite the issuance of permits, the construction of the 650 MW Khudon HPP could not be started in the village of Khaish in Zemo Svaneti. The project has also been stopped here due to the population's protests. Khudonhesi envisages the construction of a dam up to 200 meters high and a reservoir on 528 hectares. If built, it will be the second largest power plant in Georgia after the 1300 MW Engur HPP.
In April, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili announced that large hydropower plants, including Namakhvani, Nenskra, and Khudoni, should be built only with the state's participation.
