The launch ceremony for the Gardabani II Combine Cycle Power Plant built by a major Chinese power plant construction group in the Republic of Georgia, took place on Jan 17, according to local officials.
The plant was built by POWERCHINA Hubei Engineering Co, a subsidiary of POWERCHINA, which is becoming increasingly active internationally building power plants and major infrastructure projects.
Georgia Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Chinese ambassador to Georgia Li Yan and representatives from Georgia Oil and Gas Limited and POWERCHINA Hubei Engineering Co attended the ceremony.
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Georgia Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia talks at the launch ceremony for the country's new power plant on Jan 17. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
The Prime Minister stated that the completion of the project was very important for the country's energy security and would be a major driver in the rapid economic and energy growth of Georgia. By continuously supplying residents and businesses with electricity, Georgia's energy and electricity security can now be ensured, he added.
The project employed 450 local workers during the construction process and more than 200 jobs will be created after the power plant is put into operation. It will create a lot of employment opportunities and promote local economic development, Prime Minister Gakharia added.
Chinese ambassador to Georgia Li Yan said that the project's construction has once again proved that the cooperation between Georgia and China under the Belt and Road Initiative has achieved great success and effectively promoted the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
She said that the initiative was providing rare new opportunities for Georgia-China friendly relations and cooperation. China has become one of Georgia's most important economic and trade partners, the ambassador added.
With a total installed capacity of 230 megawatts, the power plant's main unit comprises two 6F.03 gas turbines and one steam turbine, with two waste heat boilers, one 220-kilovolt booster station and an off-site natural gas booster station, as well as long-distance pipelines.
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The launch ceremony for the new power plant takes place on Jan 17. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
The project started construction on March 31, 2018. At present, all construction and commissioning have been completed. The unit has been running to full capacity and all parameters and indicators are normal, officials said.
They said it is also the first project undertaken by POWERCHINA Hubei Engineering Co in the Caucasus region, which has important strategic significance for the company's subsequent development in the regional market.
