Three blackouts in two weeks – the cause of the massive power outages in Georgia has been announced
Kyiv • UNN
Testing of the Enguri Hydroelectric Power Plant showed that the units were in working order, while the blackouts in Georgia were caused by problems in the emergency automation system. Over two weeks, the country experienced three large-scale power outages.
Suspicions of equipment malfunction at Georgia’s largest hydropower plant, the Inguri HPP, have not been confirmed. Testing showed that all units are functioning properly, while the cause of the blackouts in the country was problems in the emergency-control system. Inguri HPP Technical Director Gia Khubuab told BMG, as reported by UNN.
"Testing showed that suspicions regarding the units at the Inguri HPP were not confirmed — none of them was damaged, and all are operating. But the power system is interconnected, with generation and transmission linked to each other. I think the final conclusions will still be drawn, and we will understand exactly what the problem is," Khubua said.
According to him, a systemic collapse of the power grid depends not only on generation but also on the operation of automation systems designed to prevent a collapse in the event of failures. Khubua noted that over the past 10 years, Georgia had recorded only one similar incident, whereas in the last two weeks the country has already experienced three large-scale outages.
He added that during the latest testing, specialists changed and strengthened certain grid parameters, but this caused a resonance and a new system collapse. An experts’ meeting is currently taking place in Tbilisi to analyze the test results and determine why the automation system failed to maintain the balance.
Over the past two weeks, Georgia has faced large-scale power outages three times.
The first major failure occurred on July 24–25. Due to the accident, Tbilisi and the regions were left without electricity. In the capital, the metro and railway services were temporarily suspended, while disruptions to the power supply affected the operation of the water-pumping stations of the water utility company GWP.
According to preliminary data from the regulator, the National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC), the cause was the sudden disconnection of the Georgian power system from Azerbaijan’s power system, after which the grid was unable to stabilize.
Another large-scale failure occurred on August 5 during scheduled tests conducted by the Georgian State Electrosystem (GSE). The testing was organized to determine the causes of the July accidents.
According to GSE, during the accident, the operating indicators of most of the main power transmission lines dropped virtually to zero.
Alongside GNERC, the causes of the blackouts are being investigated by the State Security Service of Georgia, which has launched an investigation under the article on sabotage.
Amid the accidents, personnel changes also took place at GSE: its Director General Vano Zardiashvili resigned, and David Vardiashvili, who previously worked at the "Georgian Gas Transportation Company," became acting head.