Georgia Strategic Environmental Assessment of Power Sector Development, Georgia

Client: World Bank, USA

Name of partner(s): N/A

Start/Completion Date: April 2007 - December 2007

Project description: The main objective of the study was to assist World Bank and Georgian Ministry of Energy in identifying a priority list in power generation respecting environmental and social criteria. The study determined what would be the optimal timing, size and location of future generating capacity over the next 15 years (2007 – 2021). The approach followed in this study is an integrated assessment considering technical, economic, environmental and social considerations. Alternative power generation options and development scenarios were evaluated not only based on economics, but also environmental and social impacts. The key advantages and adverse impacts of each option were presented, and the decision as to the preferable development path was left to the policy-makers in Georgia. The key outputs of the study are:

• A comprehensive demand forecast, which takes into account the impacts of reform, as well as the projections and uncertainty associated with economic growth in the region;
• A robust power generation expansion program with prioritization of investments (indicative least-cost plan);
• Evaluation of alternative strategies;
• Estimation of the potential environmental impacts of all defined development strategies and evaluation of the combined impact based on multicriterial approach;

Work has been successfully finalized in December 2007.