Abkhaz opposition demands information on conditions for receiving Russian electricity

Energy crisis in Abkhazia

The opposition of Abkhazia  demands information from the authorities on the conditions for receiving electricity from Russia. Due to a shortage of electricity, Abkhazia is forced to buy electricity from Russia, but its price remains unknown to the public. However, even imported electricity is not enough – rolling blackouts in Abkhazia continue.

Earlier, a group of deputies of six people sent a request to the Ministry of Economy to find out on what terms Abkhazia agreed with Russia on the import of electricity, but did not receive an answer.

The government has no right to hide information about foreign debt from the people, said opposition leader Adgur Ardzinba.

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In accordance with the legislation of Abkhazia, an official to whom a deputy’s request is sent must give a response to it in writing no later than 20 days from the date of its receipt.

“Today, there has been no response to this request, which is a gross violation of the law, and to which the Prosecutor General’s Office should immediately pay attention to”, Adgur Ardzinba said.

Since December 2021, Abkhazia has been receiving electricity from Russia, it covers about two-thirds of the territory of the republic, the rest is powered by the hydroelectric power station in the Galsky district of Abkhazia.

At the same time, the water level in the Jvar reservoir, which powers hydroelectric power station, is almost completely exhausted, said Levan Meboniya, director of the Ingur HPP, the main power plant in Abkhazia. The station is forced to work only on the inflow of water entering the reservoir, which is not enough to cover consumption in the eastern part of Abkhazia.

The flow from Russia was provided to the republic in the amount of 660 million kilowatt-hours divided by months, Ruslan Kvarchia, director of the operational and technical department of the energy company Chernomorenergo, said.

In January, the consumption was planned in the amount of 250 million kilowatt-hours, in February – 230 million kilowatt-hours and in March – 180 million kilowatt-hours. However, consumption significantly exceeds the amount of electricity available, and, therefore, there is a need to maintain the regime of rolling blackouts in Abkhazia anyway.

On average, every inhabitant of Abkhazia spends four to six hours a day without electricity.

As for the terms of payment for the electricity from Russia to Abkhazia and the terms of repayment of its cost are still unknown, both to the public and parliament.

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