Shuakhevi Hydro Power Plant
The Shuakhevi Hydro Power Plant (Skuakhevi HPP) is a run-of-the-river plant in Adjara, Georgia. 41°39′27″N 42°20′59″E / 41.6576°N 42.3497°EConstruction on the project began in 2013 and was completed in April 2021. It has an installed capacity of 185 megawatts (248,000 hp) with expected electricity output of 452 gigawatt-hours (1,630 TJ). The plant has the capacity for diurnal storage in two reservoirs (22-metre (72 ft) Skhalta dam with a 19.4-hectare (48-acre) reservoir and 39-metre (128 ft) Didachara dam with a 16.9-hectare (42-acre) reservoir), allowing Shuakhevi HPP to store water for up to 12 hours and sell electricity at peak demand times. Three main tunnels were constructed on the Shuakhevi project; the 5.8 km Chirukhistsqali to Skhalta transfer tunnel, the 9.1 kilometres (5.7 mi) Skhalta to Didachara transfer tunnel and the 17.8 km Shuakhevi headrace and pressure tunnel. It is estimated that the project will cost US$417 million. For the purposes of developing, constructing and operating the Shuakhevi HPP, ADB and EBRD extended a loan to Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC of up to $86.5 million and IFC a loan of 80m USD. Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC is owned by the Norwegian Clean Energy Invest AS (40%), India's Tata Power (40%) and IFC Infraventures (20%), an investment fund created by the International Finance Corporation. Alstom was chosen to supply the electromechanical equipment for the project.