Enguri HPP Rehabilitation Project – Phase IV: PIU Consultant – Independent Engineer

The project aims to make improvements to the 271m high arch dam and 9.5m diameter, 15km long pressure tunnel as well as related hydromechanical and electromechanical equipment, to alleviate significant leakages from the tunnel, ensure the long term safety of the tunnel, respond to heavy sedimentation problem in the reservoir and to enhance the environmental benefits of the Enguri and Vardnili Hydro Power Plants facilities. The project generally aims at: increasing the availability of non-polluting renewable energy in the country; and
improving operational safety of the Enguri power facility, The Enguri HPP and the downstream Vardnili HPP Cascade were built during the 1960-70s as part of the same scheme.  Enguri HPP (5 units of 260MW capacity each) releases its water into the Vardnili HPP water channel, where four power plants were initially in operation.  Three of these plants were totally destroyed during the civil war in early 1990’s. The Enguri HPP itself suffered from lack of maintenance and until recently only four out of five units were operating at 80% of their capacity,