Enguri Dam

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title: "Enguri Dam" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["dams-completed-in-1987", "hydroelectric-power-stations-in-abkhazia", "hydroelectric-power-stations-in-georgia-(country)", "hydroelectric-power-stations-built-in-the-soviet-union", "dams-in-georgia-(country)", "arch-dams", "publicly-owned-dams"] description: "Hydroelectric dam in Tsalenjikha, Georgia" topic_path: "general/dams-completed-in-1987" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enguri_Dam" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Hydroelectric dam in Tsalenjikha, Georgia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox dam"]

Field	Value
name	Enguri Dam
image	Enguri dam.jpg
image_caption	Enguri dam in 2025
location_map	Georgia#Georgia Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
coordinates
country	Georgia
location	Jvari, Tsalenjikha, Samegrelo
status	O
construction_began	1961
opening	1978
owner	Engurhesi Ltd. (Georgian Government)
dam_type	Arch dam
dam_height	271.5 m
dam_crosses	Enguri River
plant_operator	Ltd. Engurhesi
plant_turbines	5 × 260 MW
plant_capacity	1,300 MW
plant_annual_gen	4.3 TWh
embed	yes
designation1	Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance of Georgia
designation1_offname	Enguri arch dam
designation1_date
designation1_free1name	Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal
designation1_free1value	14738
designation1_free2name	Date of entry in the registry
designation1_free2value
designation1_free3value	}}
::

| name = Enguri Dam | name_official = | image = Enguri dam.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Enguri dam in 2025 | image_alt = | location_map = Georgia#Georgia Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti | location_map_size = | location_map_caption = | coordinates = | country = Georgia | location = Jvari, Tsalenjikha, Samegrelo | status = O | construction_began = 1961 | opening = 1978 | demolished = | cost = | owner = Engurhesi Ltd. (Georgian Government) | dam_type = Arch dam | dam_height = 271.5 m | dam_height_thalweg = | dam_height_foundation= | dam_length = | dam_width_crest = | dam_width_base = | dam_volume = | dam_elevation_crest = | dam_crosses = Enguri River | spillway_count = | spillway_type = | spillway_capacity = | res_name = | res_capacity_total = | res_capacity_active = | res_capacity_inactive= | res_catchment = | res_surface = | res_elevation = | res_max_depth = | res_max_length = | res_max_width = | res_tidal_range = | plant_operator = Ltd. Engurhesi | plant_commission = | plant_decommission = | plant_type = | plant_turbines = 5 × 260 MW | plant_capacity = 1,300 MW | plant_annual_gen = 4.3 TWh | website = | extra = | embed = yes | designation1 = Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance of Georgia | designation1_offname = Enguri arch dam | designation1_type = | designation1_criteria = | designation1_date = | designation1_partof = | designation1_number = | designation1_free1name = Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal | designation1_free1value = 14738 | designation1_free2name = Date of entry in the registry | designation1_free2value = | designation1_free3name = | designation1_free3value =}} The Enguri Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Enguri River in Tsalenjikha, Georgia. Currently, it is the world's second highest concrete arch dam, with a height of 271.5 m. |url=http://www.ebrd.com/projects/psd/psd1998/4304.htm |title=Enguri Hydro power Plant Rehabilitation project. Project summary document |publisher=European Bank for Reconstruction and Development |date=2006-09-08 |accessdate=2008-11-08 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527202746/http://www.ebrd.com/projects/psd/psd1998/4304.htm |archivedate=2008-05-27 |url-status=dead | url = http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9042423/Inguri-Dam | title = Inguri Dam | accessdate = 2007-01-01 | encyclopedia = Britannica}} |url = http://www.karen.org/news2/messages/244.html |title = China's Xiaowan hydroelectric power station succeeds |date = 2008-10-28 |accessdate = 2008-11-08 |publisher = Xinhua |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080619204038/http://www.karen.org/news2/messages/244.html |archivedate = 2008-06-19 It is located north of the town of Jvari. It is part of the Enguri hydroelectric power station (HES) which is partially located in Abkhazia.

History

Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev initially proposed a major dam and hydroelectric power scheme on the Bzyb River as his favourite resort was located near the mouth of the river at Pitsunda. However, his experts informed him that a dam built on the Bzyb River would have catastrophic effects in causing beach erosion at Pitsunda, so in the end the dam was built on the Enguri River instead, where the impact upon the coastline was assessed to be considerably less pronounced.

Construction of the Enguri dam began in 1961. The dam became temporarily operational in 1978, and was completed in 1987. In 1994, engineers from Hydro-Québec inspected the dam and found it to be "in a rare state of dilapidation".{{cite journal | url = http://bankwatch.org/documents/khudoni_dam_study.pdf | title = The Khudoni dam: a necessary solution to the Georgian energy crisis? | author = Manana Kochladze | author2 = Rezo Getiashvili | publisher = CEE Bankwatch Network | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2008-11-08 | archive-date = 2012-02-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214104735/http://bankwatch.org/documents/khudoni_dam_study.pdf | url-status = dead

In the early 1980s, a series of radio relays were built to connect the Enguri Dam with the Khudoni Dam, which was under construction. The relays were in remote territory with no access to electricity, and thus were powered with a series of eight radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). However, the Hudoni dam's construction was stopped as Georgian independence from the Soviet Union drew near. The stations and their RTGs were abandoned and eventually dismantled. The RTG's became lost at this time. Two were rediscovered in 1998, leading to no injuries. Two more were found in 1999, and again led to no injuries or significant radiation exposure. Two more were rediscovered in 2001, which led to the Lia radiological accident. The other two sources remain unaccounted for.

Technical features

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Enguri_hydropower_plant_scheme.jpg" caption="Distribution of the Enguri HES facilities in Abkhazia and Georgia proper"] ::

The Enguri hydroelectric power station (HES) is a cascade of hydroelectric facilities including, in addition to the dam - diversion installation of the Enguri HES proper, the near-dam installation of the Perepad HES-1 and three similar channel installations of the Perepad HESs-2, -3, and -4 located on the tailrace emptying into the Black Sea. While the arch dam is located on the Georgian controlled territory in Upper Svanetia, the power station is located in the Gali District of breakaway Abkhazia. |url = http://www.delgeo.ec.europa.eu/en/programmes/Overview%20EC%20projects%20Enguri%20Hydropower%20plant.doc |title = Brief overview of EC Rehabilitation projects of the Enguri Hydro-Power Plant – Georgia |publisher = European Commission Delegation to Georgia and Armenia |format = DOC |date = 2006-10-20 |accessdate = 2008-11-08 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070712032529/http://www.delgeo.ec.europa.eu/en/programmes/Overview%20EC%20projects%20Enguri%20Hydropower%20plant.doc |archivedate = 2007-07-12 Enguri HES has 20 turbines with a nominal capacity of 66 MW each, resulting in a total capacity of 1,320 MW. Its average annual capacity is 3.8 TWh, which is approximately 46% of the total electricity supply in Georgia as of 2007. According to the 1992 agreement Abkhazia gets 40% and the rest of Georgia gets 60%, however in the late 2010s the Abkhazian consumption increased significantly driven in part by bitcoin mining.

The facility's arched dam, located at the town of Jvari, was inscribed in the list of cultural heritage of Georgia in 2015.

References

Notes

References

1. (2001). "Reflections on water: new approaches to transboundary conflicts and cooperation". MIT Press.
2. link. (2011-10-09)
3. (2014). "The radiological accident in Lia, Georgia.". [[International Atomic Energy Agency]].
4. [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/georgia-2008-2.htm Georgia 2008 Daily Chronology], globalsecurity.org
5. link. (2012-02-29)
6. "Ministry of Energy of Georgia".
7. "Тбилиси закупает электроэнергию для покрытия дефицита в Абхазии". Voice of America.
8. (2020-11-17). "АСЛАН БЖАНИЯ: ТО, ЧТО ЭНЕРГОСИСТЕМА АБХАЗИИ НАХОДИТСЯ В АВАРИЙНОМ СОСТОЯНИИ, НИ ДЛЯ КОГО НЕ ЯВЛЯЕТСЯ СЕКРЕТОМ".
9. (20 August 2016). "Enguri HPP's arched dam granted cultural heritage status". Agenda.ge.

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