| Black Sea Transmission Network | |
| Country: | Georgia Turkey |
| Direction: | north–south |
| Start: | Gardabani Zestafoni |
| Through: | Akhaltsikhe |
| Finish: | Borçka |
| Operator: | Energotrans |
| Contractors: | Siemens |
| Construction: | 2010 |
| Expected: | 2013 |
| Type: | overhead line |
| Current Type: | AC/HVDC/AC |
| Length Km: | 283 |
| Capacity: | 700 MW |
| Ac Voltage: | 500/400 kV |
| Dc Voltage: | 96 kV |
| Circuits No: | 1 |
The Black Sea Transmission Network is a project for electric power transmission from Georgia to Turkey.
The project foresees a rehabilitation and expansion of the existing transmission system. An overhead transmission line with a total length of will be built from the existing Gardabani and Zestafoni substations to the new Akhaltsikhe substation situated at . The line between Gardabani and Akhaltsikhe will be, of which is a rehabilitation of the existing line and will be a new line. The line between Zestafoni and Akhaltsikhe is long, of which is a rehabilitation of the existing line and will be a new line. The 500 kV overhead line will be a single-circuit transmission line.[1]
At Akhaltsikhe substation two back-to-back high-voltage direct current stations, each with a capacity of 350 MW will be installed. A 400 kV AC overhead line will connect it with Borçka substation in Turkey. About of it will run in the territory of Georgia.[1] The first HVDC back-to-back station would be operational in May 2012 and the second one in May 2013. This link will be built by Siemens.[2] [3]
The project is financed by several European finance institutions. The European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development lend €80 million both while the German development bank KfW provides €100 million in the form of a grant (€25 million) and a long-term loan (€75 million, €20 million Development Bank of Austria, (OeEB) risk participation).[4] [5] The project is developed by the Georgian state-owned transmission system operator Energotrans.[2] [3]