Government and Telasi reach deal on electricity for refugees
By Christina Tashkevich

The Messenger, Georgia
March 17 2006

In a first step to finally deal with GEL 44 million (USD 24 million) in
unpaid electricity consumption by refugees in Tbilisi, the electricity
distribution company Telasi signed an agreement with the Ministry of
Refugees and Resettlement on Thursday.

The agreement calls for the creation of a special commission consisting
of representatives of Telasi, the ministry, the Abkhaz government
in exile, and refugees to study energy supply to settlements were
refugees live and to develop a plan for the debt repayment.

The Georgian government and the Russian company RAO UES, who owns
Telasi, decided to create the commission in 2005. One of the goals of
the commission will be to study how the GEL 44 million debt occurred
in the first place and how it can be reasonably repaid.

Telasi started installing meters in many of the refugee buildings
in an effort to control electricity consumption. The company has
already installed meters for 4,000 refugee families in Tskhneti on
the outskirts of Tbilisi.

“The misunderstanding ended today. We are starting to work
constructively and fruitfully to bring order to the electricity supply
for this type of our customers,” Telasi General Director Yuri Pimonov
said Thursday.

Telasi says in case new debt accumulates they will make a decision
to cut electricity to debtors only after informing the government.
Telasi has already taken such measures last year demanding payments for
electricity not only from refugees but also from state organizations.

The Minister of Refugees and Resettlement Giorgi Kheviashvili said
that the agreement and metering would significantly improve the
electricity supply to refugees. “It will importantly contribute to
both the company’s development and to the normal life of our refugees,”
he said Thursday.

The Telasi press office said Thursday that representatives of the
IDP community would also participate in calculation of electricity
consumption at buildings together with Telasi employees.

Also on Thursday, Telasi said Tbilisi consumers would not feel any
electricity restrictions after the Enguri Hydroelectric Station (HES)
has been taken offline for repairs. On March 15 the station was shut
down and it will remain inoperative for 4 months to undergo needed
maintenance.

The company reported it has enough local and imported sources of
energy to provide the capital with full electricity during the next
four months. The city requires an average of 500 megawatts/hour.

Telasi will supply Tbilisi with 220 megawatt/hour from the ninth
power plant in Gardabani, 90 and 60 megawatt/hour from hydroelectric
stations Khrami 1 and Khrami2 respectfully, 15 megawatt/hour from
Ortachala HES and 110 megawatt/hour from Armenian imports.

However, Telasi also notes future changes in its energy system. The
company will cease the electricity imports from Armenia from March
31. “As the need in electricity consumption is less in summer, the
ninth power plant in Gardabani will work until June 1,” the company
press release said.