The so-called “Gardabani” is a 330 kV power transmission line connecting the energy systems of Georgia and Azerbaijan, which was put into operation in 1958. It connects substations “Gardabani-500” and “Agstafa”. The length of the power transmission line is 64 km, including 21.1 km on the territory of Georgia. The maximum load of the power plant is 250 MW. The transmission line in the territory of Georgia includes 60 masts and steel-aluminum wire of AСО 480 brand is installed on them.

At present, due to the technical condition of the EKH, the masts completely require replacement, because they are corroded. The same is true for the cable, depending on the time of operation, the working resource has been exhausted. In order to renew the EKG, it is necessary to completely replace all masts and cables.

In 2019, meetings were held in Baku and Tbilisi with the participation of representatives of JSC “Azerenerji”, JSC “Georgian State Electric System” and JSC GE “Sakrusenergo” regarding the reconstruction of the 330 kV substation “Gardabni”. It was noted that the Azerbaijani side has already completed the construction of a new two-circuit 330 kV Egkh “1.2 transfer” in its territory up to the Georgia-Azerbaijan border (42 km) using 2xАС300/39 type wire.

In the 2019-2029 and 2020-2030 ten-year plans for the development of the transmission network of Georgia, the reconstruction of the 330 kV substation “Gardabani-Agstafa” (330 kV substation “Gardabani”) owned by the company was included through its twinning. JSC “Sakrusenergo” was defined as the company implementing the mentioned project and owning the two-chain 330 kV power plant “1.2 Gardabani”.

In connection with this, in 2019, the design and construction team of the company prepared design and cost accounting documentation, which was examined by the National Bureau of Forensic Examination named after Levan Samkharauli.

According to the project, the cost of the construction of the new power transmission line (along with the dismantling works of the existing 330 kV transmission line) is 34,832 million. GEL includes VAT.

According to the tripartite agreements of JSC “State Electricity System of Georgia”, JSC GE “Sakrusenergo” and JSC “Azerenergy”, September 2021 was defined as the deadline for the completion of the construction of the transmission line and the testing of the power plant.

The reconstruction of the 330 kV power station “Gardabni” with the arrangement of appropriate infrastructure together with the 500 kV power station “Mukhran Field” allows to increase the exchange of power from 700 to 1000 MW and increase the reliability of synchronous operation between the energy systems of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

Within the framework of the mentioned project, in accordance with the task received from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia this year, JSC “Sakrusenergo” has built a new, two-chain 330 kV power plant “1,2 Gardabani”, two У330-2+9 types, in the border zone of Georgia-Azerbaijan, on the territory of Georgia. Installation of masts (32 tons each) and switching works of wire (АС300/67 type wire, total length 12 km) and optical fiber cable on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border section.

It should be noted that the works related to the switching of the two-chain 330 kV power station “1.2 Gardabani” on the border section of Georgia-Azerbaijan have been fully performed by the staff of JSC GE “Sakrusenergo”.