Blackout cuts power across Georgia, halts trains amid Enguri plant tests
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A massive power outage struck Georgia on Wednesday evening, cutting electricity to Tbilisi and most regions, halting trains and the metro. The blackout, linked to tests at the Enguri hydropower plant, is the third such event in two weeks. Small businesses turned to generators while authorities investigate the exact cause.
The Blackout
At around 20:15 local time on Wednesday, power was cut across Georgia, leaving Tbilisi and most regions without electricity. Train services halted countrywide and the Tbilisi metro stopped running. Witnesses reported that stores, restaurants and other businesses went dark; small businesses quickly switched to backup generators. This is the third major blackout in Georgia in two weeks, following similar outages on July 24 and 25 that affected Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and other cities.
Cause and Investigation
The nation’s energy system failure was linked to planned testing of equipment at the Enguri hydropower plant, according to Giorgi Panganii, a member of Georgia’s National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission. The tests were intended to identify weaknesses in the system after the earlier July blackouts. Panganii said a detailed analysis is being conducted to determine the exact cause. The regulatory commission has not yet provided an estimated timeline for completing the investigation.
What's Next
Georgia’s energy regulator has not set a date for concluding its analysis of the latest blackout. Repeated outages have raised public concern over the reliability of the country’s power infrastructure, but no immediate measures have been announced.
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Blackout cuts power across Georgia, halts trains amid Enguri plant tests
