Georgia's wind farm project gets Chinese boost

TBILISI — Chinese enterprises are playing an increasingly prominent role in bolstering Georgia's wind power sector, as construction of the Ruisi wind farm gathers pace amid a harsh winter.

"I have always respected China's technological strength and construction capabilities in infrastructure," said Georgian engineer Giorgi Alavidze, who works on the Ruisi wind power project. "After joining a project built with Chinese participation, that respect has only grown."

The wind farm is located near the central Georgian city of Gori. Goldwind, a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer, is supplying turbines for the project and participating in construction as well as subsequent operation and maintenance. With a planned installed capacity of 206 megawatts, the project is currently the largest wind power project under construction in Georgia.

At the construction site, newly installed turbines stand in a row, while massive blades lie on the ground awaiting hoisting.

"It takes about five days to complete the installation of a single turbine," said Luo Yongjin, site manager of an overseas subsidiary of Goldwind.

The management and installation teams remained at their posts during Spring Festival, he said, noting this marks his third Chinese New Year working on overseas projects.

Once operational, the wind farm is expected to generate electricity annually to meet the needs of around 200,000 households and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 400,000 metric tons per year.

Alavidze, who is responsible for safety and environmental management at the site, said this is his fourth project working alongside Chinese engineering teams.

Georgia has never before undertaken a wind power project of this scale, he noted, adding the experience and professionalism of Chinese engineers have helped overcome numerous challenges.

While the Ruisi site benefits from abundant wind resources, the complex wind conditions also pose difficulties during construction. Prolonged snowfall across Georgia this winter has further complicated equipment transportation and on-site operations.

Erkan Yarici, site manager from Bureau Veritas, the project's supervising company, said Chinese colleagues have well-developed contingency plans and can promptly adjust schedules to ensure safety and avoid delays.

According to Georgia's Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the country's total installed power capacity is expected to reach 9,848 megawatts by 2033, with wind power capacity projected to rise to 850 MW.

Yarici said the turbine model supplied by the Chinese company demonstrated reliable performance under complex conditions and reflected the global competitiveness of Chinese wind power technology.

"I believe the project will set a new benchmark for Georgia's energy sector," Yarici said.

XINHUA