Georgia Improved Power Transmission Project

Georgia’s Improved Power Transmission (GIPT) Project is one of the key elements of Energy Infrastructure Expansion program implemented under the USAID Assistance Agreement between the United States of America and Georgia dated February 25, 2010.

Specifically, the GIPT Project was aimed at rehabilitation of GSE’s critical HV power transmission infrastructure, including:

Rehabilitation/reconstruction of critical HV power transmission facilities and infrastructure owned and operated by GSE, including 220kV Senaki-1, 2 overhead lines and associated bays in substations Menji and Tskaltubo.
The Aim of the rehabilitation of existing 220kV Senaki-1, 2 lines and substations was to improve Georgia’s capability to route power domestically and handle surplus hydropower by exporting significant volumes to Turkey and beyond. In particular, these rehabilitation/reconstruction activities were expected to ensure significant increase in power transmission capacity through 220kV grid, the possibilities for transmission of power generated by planned HPPs into Turkey and supply of increased capacity to Poti free industrial zone (100MW).
The transmission line and the relevant feeders in the substations were energized and the line became operational in June, 2014.
The successful completion of the project has increased electricity reliability throughout the power transmission network, reduce energy insecurity and vulnerability and virtually eliminate the risk of power supply interruptions in Georgia.
Introduction/deployment of smart grid technologies, monitoring systems and computer-aided engineering software. This component is directed towards improved power management, transformer fault monitoring, protection improvement, reliable transmission operation and trade facilitation. This assistance is expected to increase electricity reliability throughout the power transmission network, reduce energy insecurity and vulnerability and virtually eliminate the risk of power supply interruption in Georgia.

Smart Grid component includes the following sub-components: Computer-Aided Protection Engineering (CAPE) software - became mandatory in the context of the on-going 500kV GSE system expansion, including HVDC link under the BSTN Project. Successfully installed software now provides detailed electrical modeling capabilities based on an open source database, supports analysis and simulation to solve data management issues, uncovers potential network and protective device problems, and evaluates electrical system alternatives.
Dissolved Gas Analyzers (transformer gas monitoring system) were implemented in the substations Ksani, Gardabani and Zestaponi for the most important 500/220 kV transformers in 2012/2013 and have been further developed and kept updated by the contractor LumaSense during the warranty period. The implemented dissolved gas analyzer system measures the nine main gases found in transformers permanently and transmit the data online to a central monitoring and evaluation system. Thus, the information required for scheduling of necessary maintenance measures to ensure the long-term health and operational capacity of the transformers are contemporarily available.
Enhanced Emergency Control System further widely extended and functionally upgraded a wide-area protection scheme, referred to as an Emergency Control System (ECS). Enhanced ECS (EECS) have to provide to GSE’s National Control Center (NCC) an effective real-time control over the entire power system. The EECS is improving the efficiency in the Georgian energy sector and significantly reducing the risks of potential transmission failures and system break-downs, vital for the operation of the Georgian system as a reliable international electric energy hub.

Rehabilitation of Protection and Control Systems in 10 Substations of GSE

Under Georgia’s Improved Power Transmission (GIPT) Project USAID funded the procurement of protection and control systems of ten (10) transmission system substations: Batumi 220/110 kV, Gldani 220/110 kV, Khashuri 220/110/10 kV, Gori 220/110 kV, Kutaisi 220/110/10 kV, Marneuli 220/110 kV, Menji 220/110/35 kV, Rustavi 220/110 kV, Tskaltubo 220/110 kV and Zugdidi 220/110 kV.

The supply of the equipment and assistance to GSE for installation and commissioning was provided by Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. (SEL), USA.The rehabilitation works were performed by GSE’s own teams, feeder by feeder, maintaining the substations operational except the feeder under commissioning.

The main installation and commissioning activities were finalized in July 2015.

By the replacement of the old electromechanical relays by new digital/numerical electronic relays the risk of malfunction and/or false tripping has remarkably reduced and the supervision and remote control of all switching devices of the substations is possible from the central control room of the substation and also remotely from the NCC.

Rehabilitation of Medium Voltage Switchgears of 12 Substations of GSE and Procurement of Stringing Equipment for Conductors, Ground Wires and Optical Ground Wires

Under the Georgia’s Improved Power Transmission (GIPT) Project, USAID funded the procurement of 35 kV and/or 10 (6) kV complete switchgears for 12 substations owned and operated by Georgian State Electrosystem. The medium voltage switchgears in the following substations were upgraded by replacement of the old switchgears by new air insulated switchgears installed in containers (E-Houses): Batumi 220 kV, Khashuri 220 kV, Gori 220 kV, Zestafoni 500 kV, Gardabani 500 kV, Kutaisi 220 kV, Marneuli 220 kV, Menji 220 kV, Rustavi 220 kV, Tskaltubo 220 kV, Fero 220 kV and Zugdidi 220 kV. The switchgear for one substation (Gldani 220 kV) was funded by GSE from own resources. Supply, transportation to site and placing of the E-Houses on the foundations in the substations were provided by Siemens Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Turkey. The installation, connection to the medium voltage distribution grid, commissioning and final testing were performed by GSE’s own personnel. The project was successfully completed in 2015.

These rehabilitation measures remarkably increased the reliability of the electric power distribution network and thus, made the supply of electric energy to the customers and households more reliable.

The stringing equipment to be used for stringing of conductors, groundwires and optical groundwires, was already delivered in 2014. Currently, this equipment is successfully used for rehabilitation of existing transmission lines as well as for construction of new lines by GSE.

The GIPT Project assisted, inter alia, the improvement of transmission infrastructure and energy technologies to expand and develop the domestic power grid, provide interconnections with neighboring markets, reduce waste in energy use and ensure affordable access to reliable energy services. Such developments reduced and diversified power imports and expanded power export opportunities to Turkey and other markets.