Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR will continue gasification of Georgia in 2013, Georgia Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said on Tuesday.

Some 30,000 people will be provided with gas this year.

"In addition to round-the-clock quality supply of gas and electricity, gasification and installation of counters are of high importance for us as well. We have reached an agreement with SOCAR; in the case of Energo-Pro Georgia it comes down to installation of individual meters for 140,000 consumers," Kaladze said.

According to him, out of the total number of counters which will be provided for customers, 50,000 will be installed this year, and the rest - until 2015.

In 2012, SOCAR Georgia Gaz, a subsidiary of SOCAR Energy Georgia which represents SOCAR in Georgia, supplied gas to 39,500 new consumers.

According to the agreement signed with the Georgian government, SOCAR Georgia Gas has to gasify at least 150,000 new (potential) customers, and invest at least $40 million in the gasification process in the country. However, it was ascertained that investments will significantly surpass this amount.

SOCAR and the Georgian government signed an agreement to transfer control of 30 gas distribution facilities and gas distribution networks covering such regions of Georgia as Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida and Kvemo Kartli, Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Samegrelo on December 26, 2008. The list of gas distribution facilities was then increased. Earlier, all these facilities were eliminated and seven regional gas facilities were created under the management SOCAR.