To maintain the biodiversity of the river and adhere to the strictest environmental protection standards, it is preferable for a single company to be responsible for managing all existing projects on the river. This ensures a unified environmental policy for each hydropower plant. Based on recommendations from environmental experts, we have consolidated the existing and planned hydropower plant projects on the Bakhvistskali River into a single portfolio.
During operation, each hydropower plant extracts water from a specific section of the river and then returns it downstream. According to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) document for both Bakhvi 1 and Bakhvi 2, as a highly responsible company, we will ensure that 29% of the river's water remains in the river, instead of the legally mandated 10%. This means that from the headworks downstream, a minimum guaranteed ecological flow of 290 liters per second will be maintained. Additionally, during periods of high water flow, particularly from May to July, the ecological flow in the river will increase by 2000 to 5000 liters per second, which will have additional benefit on biodiversity.
It should also be noted that in the area where the Bakhvi 1 and Bakhvi 2 hydropower plants are planned, there are numerous tributaries—51 in total—that feed into the river from the headworks to the last station. Consequently, the 29% of water we leave in the river is supplemented by water from these tributaries. As a result, the amount of water left in the river in the project area (Bakhvi 1 and Bakhvi 2 hydropower plants) averages up to 42%. By adhering to these measures, Bakhvi HPP demonstrates its commitment to sustainable management and environmental stewardship, ensuring that the ecological balance of the Bakhvistskali River is preserved while meeting energy production needs.