Hydropower Investment Promotion Project (HIPP) Conference – Young Engineers in Georgian Energy Sector

The project was implemented by USAID in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting, Black & Veatch, and Pierce Atwood Attorneys LLC. The HIPP project focused on several key areas, including the identification of Georgian hydropower sites and the development of a Georgian Electricity Market Model (GEMM) in 2015. The GEMM was designed to increase investments in the electricity sector, enable electricity trading on regional competitive power markets, and improve power sector security. The model was consistent with regional competitive power markets and carried necessary technical and legal requirements to benefit from energy trade. The project also emphasized the importance of idea sharing, capacity building, and networking among energy stakeholders. A conference, "Young Engineers in Georgian Energy Sector," was organized by HIPP on April 17, 2013, to stimulate open discussion and exchange of information on recent developments in hydropower investment issues. The conference brought together representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and other energy stakeholders. Presentations were made by HIPP's Chief of Party, Jake Delphia, and other participants, including Givi Shovnadze, a GTU postgraduate student, and David Dgebuadze, Chief of GSE's Metering Department. The presentations covered topics such as the impact of nonlinear loads on capacity factor and consumed capacity, electricity transmission and dispatch services, and the distribution of active capacity losses on the high-voltage transmission network. The conference highlighted the importance of capacity building within the academic and professional energy sectors, as well as the need for networking and building relationships across energy stakeholders. The participants acknowledged the importance of such workshops for the energy sector development and appreciated USAID/HIPP's efforts in building capacity of Tbilisi State Technical University. The HIPP project aimed to achieve several goals, including identifying Georgian HPP sites and cluster of sites, reaching out to 500 potential investors, completing 20 HPP pre-feasibility studies, and attracting USD 5-600 million in investments. The project also aimed to reduce winter dependence on foreign oil, improve Georgia's balance of trade, and increase investments in the electricity sector. The project's outcomes and next steps were discussed during the conference, and the participants emphasized the need for continued engagement with an increasingly broad collection of stakeholders through workshops and conferences. The conference highlighted great opportunities in the energy sector for graduating engineers from GTU and confirmed several pre-existing concepts that will underpin both HIPP's work and the continued evolution of the Georgian energy sector.