TA-9098 REG: Strengthening Project Preparation Capacity in Asia and the Pacific - Support for Capacity Development, Knowledge and Networking (Subproject 1) - Capacity Development Consultants

The objective of proposed assistance is to support the Government of Georgia (GoG) in creating an enabling environment for increased private sector participation in financially, economically and environmentally sustainable gas infrastructure projects in the country. The perceived benefits are (i) capacity building support to the Georgia National Energy and Water Sector Regulatory Commission (GNERC) on tariff methodology for underground gas storage (UGS) operations with the objective of ensuring efficiency and sustainability for storage operations and promoting private sector participation in its development; (ii) capacity building support to the Ministry of Energy on development of new regulatory framework for gas market to encourage private sector participation in the Georgian gas market; and (iii) technical and corporate capacity building for the Georgian Oil and Gas Company (GOGC) and enhancing its ability to develop gas storage infrastructure with private sector participation and providing reliable service to independent gas distribution companies through improved SCADA.  2. The key components of assignment are the followings: (a) gas market tariff reforms and methodologies in compliance with Georgia’s accession to EU Energy Community; (b) legal, regulatory and institutional reforms to foster private sector participation in the development of gas industry; (c) technical and corporate capacity building for GOGC and supporting in identification of options for structuring UGS with private sector participation. The target beneficiaries of the assistance are end-users of gas and industrial consumers in Georgia, GNERC, the Ministry of Energy, GOGC, Georgian Gas Transmission Company (GGTC) and private sector parties.