In 2006, a session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Armenia and Georgia was held, at which a decision was made on the construction of a new 400 kV power transmission line connecting the energy systems of Georgia and Armenia. From substation “Ksani-500” to Razdan thermal power station. In the mentioned scheme, the use of the 75 km long section of the existing 500 kV “Mukhrani” transmission line from the station “Ksani-500” to the N42 tower of the “Mukhrani” transmission line was envisaged.
The project envisaged:
in “Ksani-500”, installation of 500/400 kV voltage 800 MW autotransformer and arrangement of 400 kV cell;
Rehabilitation of 500 kV power plant “Mukhran” from power plant N42 tower to substation
“Xani-500” (75 km);
the construction of a new 18 km long power transmission line from the N42 tower of the so-called “Mukhrani” to the Georgia-Armenia border;
construction of a 42 km long, new 400 kV power transmission line from the Georgia-Armenia border to the 330 kV power station “Atarbekyanskaya” (Armenia);
rehabilitation and transfer of 330 kV substation “Atarbekiani” to 400 kV voltage (66 km);
construction of a new 400 kV power transmission line from “Atarbekian” to the Razdan thermal power station (12 km);
Arrangement of 400 kV cell in Razdan thermal power station.
From the mentioned project, only 500 kV of Mukhrani substation has been rehabilitated (from the N42 tower of Mukhrani substation to Ksani-500 – 75 km).
Currently, the governments of Georgia and Armenia have made a joint decision to change the direction of the railway line in the territory of Armenia and introduce it to Airum instead of Razdan thermal power plant. According to the decision, the Georgian side undertakes to build the 500 kV “Marneuli-Airum” section from the 500 kV “Mukhran” N42 tower to the Georgia-Armenia state border (18 km), and the Armenian side – to build the section of the mentioned power transmission line from the Georgia-Armenia border to Airum (10 km), where a 500/400 kV voltage, 700 MW capacity substation with constant current input is to be installed, with a capacity of 350 MW in the first stage, 700 MW in the second stage and 1050 MW in the third stage. According to the recommendation of “Fichtner”, in order to ensure the power exchange of the third stage, it will be necessary to replace the АС330/43 cable with ASR400 (АС400/51) brand cable in the section between the N42-N108 towers of the 500 kV power station “Mukhran”, which will lead to the reconstruction of this section and the installation of 51 pieces of ПБ- The need to replace 500-5н type reinforced concrete intermediate towers with metal towers. Reinforced concrete towers due to existing defects (cracks, rust, deformation, etc.) cannot withstand dismantling and re-installation, especially since there is currently no special equipment for transportation and installation of this type of towers in Georgia.
In accordance with the ten-year plan for the development of the transmission network of Georgia (2015-2025), the project called “Marneuli” envisaged the increase of electricity transit from Russia to Armenia and Iran, as well as the increase of the reliability of the electricity supply of Eastern Georgia.
The following were defined within the project:
Creation of a 500 sq. m wing in “Marneuli-500”;
500 kV “Mukhrani” power plant input to the “Marneuli-500” substation;
Input of 500 kV “Vardzia” to “Marneuli-500”;
Installation of 500/220 kV voltage, 500 MW power autotransformer
in the substation “Marneuli-500”;
Installation of 180 (3×60) capacity reactor in KS “Xani-500”;
in “Marneuli-500” 160±20 m power regulating reactor
installation;
Construction of 500 sq. m “Marneuli-Ayrum” from KS “Marneuli-500” in the direction of Armenia to KS “Ayrum”. The length of the railway in the territory of Georgia is 37 km.
The feasibility of implementing the project was studied by the consulting company “Fichtner” and was evaluated as having high flexibility and reliability. Along with this, it was determined that the project increases the integration of HPPs in the electricity system by 50 MW and reduces electricity losses by 1 MW. Increases capacity in normal and emergency modes by 700 and 800 MW, respectively.
Within the framework of the mentioned project, JSC “Sakrusenergo” was entrusted with the introduction of the existing 500 kV power plant “Mukhran” to the substation “Marneuli-500” and the construction of the 500 kV power plant “Marneuli-Airum” from this substation to the Georgia-Armenia border, from which:
In 2016, the introduction of 500 kV Mukhrani to the substation “Marneuli-500” was carried out. The power transmission line connecting substations “Ksani-500” and “Marneuli-500” was given the dispatch name: 500 kV power line “Assureti”;
In 2017, the working project of 500 kV power line “Marneuli-Airum” (500 kV power line “Mukhran” from the N42 tower to the Georgia-Armenia border) was developed, and it passed the examination at the National Bureau of Forensic Examination named after Levan Samkharauli.
In 2019, the section (18 km) between the N109-N42 towers of the 500 kV substation “Mukhran” was connected to the “Marneuli-500” 500 kV substation.
“Marneuli-500”, 500 kV substation “Marneuli-Airum” will be connected to 500 kV “Airum” (500/400 kV, 700 MW, with constant current plug), from which it will be possible to connect to Razdan thermal power station Continuing in the direction of Iran, through two-chain 400 kV power stations, which will significantly increase the volume of power exchange between Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran. With the transmission line, it is possible to export the surplus electricity generated in Georgia to neighboring countries in the summer, and to participate significantly in filling the deficit of the energy system in the winter, which will significantly increase the reliability of Georgia’s electricity supply and the functioning of the transmission network.
