Within the framework of the construction works of the Tbilisi–Bakurtsikhe–Lagodekhi international highway, implemented by the Roads Department of Georgia, the road under construction in the vicinity of Sartichala, on the Vaziani–Sagarejo section, crosses the 500 kV Kartli-1 transmission line.
In order to maintain the required clearance in relation to the new road, reconstruction of the 500 kV Kartli-1 transmission line became necessary in the span between towers No. 84 and No. 85. The reconstruction works included dismantling the existing towers No. 84 and No. 85 (type U2+5) and installing elevated towers (type U2+12) in their place.
In addition, according to the project design, tower No. 85 of the transmission line fell within the alignment of the newly constructed road, which made it necessary to relocate it along the adjusted route.
Under the request of the Roads Department, the reconstruction works on the 500 kV “Kartli-1” transmission line was carried out by the Georgian branch of China Road and Bridge Corporation.
For the implementation of these works, the National Dispatch Center of JSC “Georgian State Electrosystem” initially took the 500 kV Kartli-1 transmission line out of service from February 22 to March 6, 2024. According to the outage schedule agreed with GSE, the planned maintenance period for the Kartli-1 transmission line had been scheduled from May 8 to May 22, 2024. However, at the request of the Georgian branch of China Road and Bridge Corporation, the line was taken out of service on February 22.
The reconstruction works on the 500 kV Kartli-1 transmission line progressed with delays. As a result, by March 6 the works envisaged by the project were not completed, and the outage was extended until March 18, 2024. For various reasons, the reconstruction works in the span between towers No. 84 and No. 85 were still not completed within this extended period. Consequently, on March 18 the Georgian branch of China Road and Bridge Corporation was removed from the site.
The reconstruction works in the span between towers No. 84 and No. 85 of the 500 kV Kartli-1 transmission line were completed on March 30, 2024, by JSC SAKRUSENERGO and the transmission line was re-energized and integrated back into the system.
During the reconstruction period in the No. 84–No. 85 span (22.02.24–30.03.24), all planned repair works envisaged under the business plan 2024 defined by JSC SAKRUSENERGO were fully carried out, except for the anti-corrosion protection works.
Anti-corrosion protection works on the 500 kV Kartli-1 transmission line are scheduled to be implemented during the planned outage period from May 8 to May 22, 2024 (as agreed with GSE). A company selected through a tender process has been identified to carry out anti-corrosion protection works in the section between towers No. 183 and No. 196 of the Kartli-1 transmission line.
