Georgia, Abkhazia hit by massive blackout; power restored in most areas
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A nationwide blackout struck Georgia and the breakaway region of Abkhazia late on July 23, leaving Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and other cities without power. The outage disrupted water supply in Tbilisi, Rustavi and Mtskheta, according to Georgian Water and Power. Power was restored in most of Tbilisi by the time of reporting, while Abkhazia reported full restoration around 3:00 local time.
The Blackout
A nationwide power outage hit Georgia and the breakaway region of Abkhazia late on July 23, affecting major cities including Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Borjomi, Bakuriani and Zugdidi, according to Russian-language media cited by DW. The blackout began around 00:10 local time on July 24, as reported by the State Electric System of Georgia via TASS. The outage disrupted water supply in Tbilisi, Rustavi and Mtskheta, as Georgian Water and Power confirmed the nationwide blackout and warned of possible water interruptions.
Cause and Denials
Initial reports on social media, attributed to the State Electric System of Georgia, claimed the blackout was caused by an accident on a high-voltage power line connecting Georgia and Turkey. However, Georgian TV channel Pirveli reported that the company denied the authenticity of that statement, calling it false. The exact cause remains under investigation, with the State Electric System stating that specialists are working to determine the reason.
Abkhazia Impact
The entire territory of Abkhazia was also left without power due to a 'systemic accident' at the Inguri Hydroelectric Power Station, according to Interfax citing Abkhaz authorities. The Inguri HPP, the largest in the Caucasus, is jointly operated by Georgia and Abkhazia under a 60-40 power-sharing agreement, as noted by Kavkazsky Uzel. Power was fully restored in Abkhazia by around 3:00 local time, per the Telegram channel of the Abkhaz Ministry of Energy.
What's Next
The State Electric System of Georgia says it will provide additional information after completing its investigation into the cause of the blackout. It remains unclear whether the outage was triggered by a technical failure or external factors, and whether similar incidents could recur.
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Georgia, Abkhazia hit by massive blackout; power restored in most areas
