500 kV “Imereti” Transmission Line

The 500 kV “Imereti” transmission line is an internal transmission line within Georgia’s power system and plays a key role in ensuring the country’s electricity supply. It was commissioned in 1978 and interconnects the Enguri Hydropower Plant and the Zestaponi-500 substation. The transmission line is 128 km long and comprises 388 transmission towers.

The Enguri Hydropower Plant generates approximately 3.5 billion kWh of electricity annually and has an installed capacity of 1,300 MW. Approximately two-thirds of the electricity generated by the plant is transmitted via the 500 kV “Imereti” transmission line. This line also carries electricity imported into Georgia from Russia through the 500 kV “Kavkasioni” transmission line.

Electricity can also be transmitted from the Enguri Hydropower Plant to the Zestaponi-500 substation via 220 kV transmission lines. However, these lines do not have sufficient transmission capacity to carry the amount of electricity (power) that would be required in the event of an emergency outage of the 500 kV “Imereti” transmission line, which may operate under heavily loaded conditions of 800 MW or more.