Caucasus Crossroads
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Kolumnentitel Kolumnentitel The new substation in Akhaltsikhe, the engine of the Black Sea project, features advanced HVDC back-to-back technology that is unique in the Caucasus. here he stands: Kakha Kaladze, It was part of the power supply in the Kaladze’s office is located, right in T a man tall as a tree, with an Caucasus that was linked to the neigh- the center of the capital Tbilisi and impressively athletic figure and boring Soviet republics. Building up a close to the Mtkvari River that flows Caucasus broad shoulders that are reminders of reliable power supply and grid for through the city. With its mushroom- his former job. Kaladze, now aged 35, Georgia was an immense challenge shaped roofs and glass-and-steel was a defender playing football for the and effort.” Kaladze is an ambitious structure, the building (by Italian glorious AC Milan – and the attackers of sportsman who likes to confront architects Massimiliano and Doriana Manchester United, Chelsea, or new challenges. So he quit his football Fuksas) has a science fiction appeal. Real Madrid had their work cut out try- career in 2012 and went into politics, The interior is dominated by space, Crossroads ing to get past the Georgian player. supporting the opposition party of bil- glass, and curvy, airy forms. From the With the Italian club, Kaladze won the lionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who won first floor, the busy sounds of key- UEFA Champions League twice. When the elections in October 2012 to become boards, voices, and people moving The Black Sea Transmission Network project he talks about his football career, he the new prime minister. Ivanishvili around drift up to Kaladze’s office on allows Georgia to export green energy to Turkey. smiles shyly. His eyes fly around looking appointed Kaladze as his deputy and the fourth floor. “The building hosts for something to get a grip on. They Minister of Energy. the central public service of the city,” At the heart of the project is the only high- stop at a map on the wall in the bright- explains an assistant of the minister voltage direct-current (HVDC) station in the ly lit meeting room. It shows the Energetic Country who grew up in Berlin. “Here, you can Georgian electricity grid, which has With a population of 5 million people, get married or registered, you can Caucasus region. undergone huge modernization in Georgia is an energetic country, register your car or your newborn the past years. and it is not unusual for young child, or set up a company within a “Under President Eduard Shevard- Western-educated professionals to couple of hours.” Text: Ingo Petz Photos: Fabian Weiss nadze, we had massive problems with hold top jobs in business or in the Now Kaladze’s finger travels along the constant power blackouts due to the government. The thriving dynamic colored lines on the map showing the bad quality and low stability of the old determination of this country to new power lines. He stops at the Turk- Soviet electricity net,” says Kaladze. keep pushing towards modernization, ish border in the southwest of the “Moreover, our grid was not designed efficiency, and prosperity is sym- country. “Since 2011, Georgia has con- as a network for an independent state. bolized by the huge building where structed around 300 kilometers of new u 42 Living Energy · No. 9 | December 2013 Living Energy · No. 9 | December 2013 43 Kolumnentitel Kolumnentitel East-West bridge: Georgia and its capital Tbilisi occupy an important geostrategic position in the Black Sea-Caucasus region. The Akhaltsikhe HVDC substation operates on two back-to-back links, each line of which is able to transmit 350 megawatts of In the long run, the country aims to export electricity to the EU via Turkey, which is applying for membership in the European power; the station can connect unsynchronized power from the Georgian 500-kilovolt system to Turkey’s 400-kilovolt standard. Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E). 44 Living Energy · No. 9 | December 2013 Living Energy · No. 9 | December 2013 45 Transmission Transmission power lines with transmission line electricity. Of this, 1.3 terawatt-hours export green electricity to EU coun- towers. We have modernized substa- were exported. Georgia’s new hopes tries via Turkey, which is in the pro- tions in Gardabani and Zestafoni and are based to a great extent on the de- cess of applying for membership in built a new one in Akhaltsikhe, close mand for power in Turkey, which is the European Network of Transmis- to the Turkish border.” All this, he increasing because of the thriving sion System Operators for Electricity states – and now his soft voice be- economy in the neighboring country. (ENTSO-E). comes more confident – is part of the “Turkey is the main focus of our new Earlier, while outlining the Black Sea Black Sea Transmission Network. energy export strategy in the current Transmission Network project on the This project was started in 2010 with phase,” says the minister while walk- map, Kaladze had stated: “The new the support of the European Investment ing over to his office, where flags of substation in Akhaltsikhe is the en- Bank, the European Bank for Recon- the EU and Georgia stand side by side. gine of the Black Sea project. Its mod- struction and Development, the German “Besides the famous Georgian wine, ern HVDC back-to-back technology is KfW Group, and the Development our country has a lot of water – unique in the Caucasus. In order to Bank of Austria, which put together the around 300 rivers, which have the po- understand the significance of that imposing sum of around €170 million. tential to generate 20 terawatt-hours place for our future, you have to go The strong international backing shows annually. Therefore, we are develop- and visit it.” Traveling west on wind- the substantial interest of the EU in ing hydropower stations across the ing roads, one passes mountain villag- the Caucasian country and its impor- country. Seventeen stations are cur- es, glittering blue lakes, and wide tant historic and geostrategic location rently being built, and another 62 are grassy plains. In the background, as a bridge between East and West. in the planning phase. Companies rocky hills and mountains reach out to from Turkey, the USA, and India are the vast arching sky. Soviet-era elec- Power Hub investing in those projects. In spring tricity pylons stand out in this over- Since 2010, Georgia has been export- and summer especially, our lakes and whelming landscape like old trees. ing energy to all its neighboring coun- rivers are full of water. The energy Georgia’s Minister of Energy tries. In 2011, the country generated surplus they generate will be export- The “Miracle of Akhaltsikhe” Kakha Kaladze plays a key role approximately 11 terawatt-hours of ed.” In the long run, Georgia wants to After four hours of driving, we reach in mapping out the country’s Akhaltsikhe. The old city with its modernization drive. grand fortress is located close to the border with Turkey and Armenia. After we have gone around some more curves climbing up a slope, the “ Turkey is the main focus of our substation with its towers, filters, syn- chronous condensers, converter new energy export strategy in the transformers, and power lines appears like an alien spaceship. It occupies a current phase.” vast plot of 30 hectares in total. “We Kakha Kaladze, Georgian Minister of Energy had to move 1 million cubic meters of earth here, at approximately 1,100 meters above sea level,” explains Norbert Hilfert, the Project Director in system (GSE). In Tbilisi, GSE’s CEO charge of constructing the converter Sulkhan Zumburidze also notes the station. Siemens AG Germany handled importance of Akhaltsikhe. Talking construction together with sister com- about the Black Sea Transmission Net- pany Siemens AG Austria, where Paul work project, he leaves no doubt that Kofler was responsible as Project Man- Georgia is ready to become the center ager for the construction of the of power transmission in the Cauca- 500/400/220-kilovolt switchyards at sus. “The idea for the project came up Akhaltsikhe Substation. Work on the in 2008, when we met with people station started in February 2011. In from the KfW Group bank. We told May 2012 (first part) and November them: ‘We have no oil and gas. But we 2012 (second part), the substation was have water and we have a good geo- ready for testing. “Construction was strategic position. So we can generate completed very quickly. Some in power, export it, and function as a Georgia even called our project the transmitter of power for other coun- ‘Miracle of Akhaltsikhe,’ Hilfert jokes tries and companies in Europe.’ He and takes a sip from his water bottle. pauses. “Thanks to Siemens, we now The station is run by Energotrans, a have a technological capability that no subsidiary of Georgian State Electro- one else in the region can offer. u 46 Living Energy · No. 9 | December 2013 Living Energy · No. 9 | December 2013 47 Transmission Transmission “ We can function as a transmitter of power for other countries and companies in Europe.” Sulkhan Zumburidze, CEO, Georgian State Electrosystem We will be the turnstile for transmit- ting and exporting power in the Caucasus.” The sun is blazing as Hilfert walks towards the control center and the valve halls, where the actual power transmission takes place. With him is Akaki Nemsadze, one of the engi- neers at the station, where up to 18 people currently work; in the near future, it will offer employment for 26 staff.