Georgia’s Ministry of Energy has named a Swiss consortium to perform a feasibility study of the proposed 640-MW Khudoni hydroelectric project on Georgia’s Enguri River.
The ministry awarded a contract of 2.1 million Swiss francs and 779,662 euros (US$2.81 million) to JV Colenco and Stucky of Switzerland. The firms were chosen from among five bidders. (HNN 12/29/05)
The partially built Khudoni is 38 kilometers upstream from 1,270-MW Enguri Dam on the Enguri River. Expected to cost US$600 million, Khudoni is to feature a 170-meter-tall arch dam and an underground powerhouse, with capacity that some estimates place as much as 700 MW. (HNN 7/5/06)
Construction was started on the project in 1979, but halted in 1989 upon the collapse of the Soviet Union. Although a river diversion tunnel, bridge structures, roads, and a railroad track were built, their condition is reported to be highly deteriorated.
With World Bank support, the contract calls for the consultants to perform a feasibility study of Khudoni comprising all technical and economic analyses necessary to assess feasibility, financing, and market aspects of the project. It also includes preparation of designs, technical specifications, and bidding documents.
