On October 27 2022, per initiative of the Bakhvi Hydropower Plant Project Management, was held yet another meeting of the Advisory Board for Environmental and Social Issues. Giorgi Abramishvili, General Director of Bakhvi HPP, informed the Advisory Board members that the company submitted the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report for the Bakhvi 2 Hydropower Plant project to the National Environment Agency for review on October 20. The company is now preparing for the public discussion phase, scheduled to take place in the village of Mtispiri in Ozurgeti Municipality between the 25th and 30th days following the submission of the ESIA. The comprehensive ESIA document includes a biodiversity study and management plan conducted by Nikola Fox, a researcher from the UK office of the international company SLR. Additionally, French company Alpage's founder, international expert Pierre Biderman, conducted cumulative, micro, and macroclimate studies, which are also part of the ESIA document. Georgian expert Nikoloz Kerdikoshvili contributed to the project by researching the otter population during the ESIA process.
Another significant update announced during the meeting was the entry of a European investor, the Austrian family fund “ILAG,” into Bakhvi HPP.
"ILAG is an investment fund, and we are thrilled to partner with them. Family investment funds are a common practice in Europe and America. The Austrian fund first entered Georgia in 2011, and they are currently co-owners of Aragvi HPP. Their second hydrooiwer plant project in Georgia will be Bakhvi HPP. ILAG's investment projects are primarily in Central and Eastern Europe. Our partnership with them is crucial. The Caucasus Clean Energy Holding and ILAG together create an American-European investment in Ozurgeti. We believe that together we can implement an exemplary project in Guria. We aim to undertake an unprecedented project and achieve the best results," said Giorgi Abramishvili, Director of Bakhvi HPP.
During the meeting, the company's management provided the Advisory Board with information about ongoing and completed social projects for the fall of 2022. They also discussed various issues, including the provision of student assistance under the student program. A discussion on sector challenges and ways to address them was also held. Nana Berdzenishvili, Manager of Environmental and Social Issues at the Caucasus Clean Energy Holding, informed the Advisory Board members about the completion of the Akhalkalaki HPP construction and the commencement of generation. She also invited the members to visit Akhalkalaki HPP
A discussion on sector challenges and ways to address them was also held
Nana Berdzenishvili, Manager of Environmental and Social Issues at the Caucasus Clean Energy Holding, informed the Advisory Board members about the completion of the Akhalkalaki HPP construction and the commencement of generation. She also invited the members to visit Akhalkalaki HPP.
"We are pleased that the construction of Akhalkalaki HPP, part of our portfolio in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, has been completed, and we have started generation. Akhalkalaki HPP is a joint American-European investment in Georgia's energy sector. Our minority partner in the Akhalkalaki project is the Icelandic state energy company, Landsvirkjun Power (LVP). Through the Akhalkalaki project, we have excellent examples of community relations, reflected in the social projects implemented in the villages near the project site. In all our projects, we maintain a unified vision aimed at caring for people, nature, and regional development," said Nana Berdzenishvili.
The Advisory Board meetings are initiated by Bakhvi HPP to provide timely and effective information on project progress and to gather valuable insights and recommendations from the members. The meeting was held at the Bakhvi HPP office in Ozurgeti.
The Environmental and Social Advisory Board of Bakhvi HPP is a consultative body established by the company with the aim of increasing stakeholder engagement and ensuring transparency in the hydropower projects. The board consists of 12 independent members nominated from the municipalities of Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti. It includes representatives from various sectors, such as local government bodies, non-governmental organizations, media, and business.