By E. Gurkan Abay,Ata Ufuk Seker
ANKARA
Georgia will invest $10 billion in energy in the next 10 years and sees Turkey as its biggest partner, the country’s deputy energy minister Ilia Eloshvili has told The Anadolu Agency.
“Considering the growth rate of the Turkish economy in the last 10 years and its political stability, Georgia considers Turkey as its biggest partner in energy investments,” Eloshvili said in a recent interview.
The official also pointed out that an intergovernmental agreement has been signed between the two neighbors to increase investments in both countries’ energy sectors.
“Georgia aims to construct a new 700-megawatt capacity electricity transportation system with Turkey in the next five years,” he said.
Georgia has been exporting electricity since 2007 and has sold energy to all its neighboring countries, including Turkey.
Eloshvili said Georgia produces more electricity than it needs with its hydroelectric power plants in the summer season; this surplus can be exported to Turkey.
“Turkish companies need to look at Georgia’s hydroelectric potential,” Eloshvili said, adding: “We have implanted very flexible bureaucratic rules for foreign investments to make Georgia a very attractive country for energy investments.”
Georgia's Energy Ministry claims the country produces nearly 85 percent of its electricity from hydroelectricity power plants.
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