Don’t Dam the rivers - The story of Nenskra Hydropower plant in Svaneti, Georgia
Government of Georgia has promoted hydropower as a way of tackling energy security and turning the country into a regional energy player and introduced plans to construct over 114 hydropower plants (HPPs) in Georgia1, including Nenskra, Khudoni, Namakhvani Oni Dams, slated for construction. Dozens of additional plants have been identified as potential investment opportunities, resulting in an unclear mix of conflicting projects that may place an excessive burden on the environment and people’s livelihoods. The combination of weak environmental legislation and the lack of strategic plans have enabled the Georgian government to rush forward concessions on around 84 plants since the adoption of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in June 2014.
