Paravani HPP: Study on the impacts of EU controversial investments, 2013

...The project proponents claim that the project‘s ESIA adheres to EBRD and IFC standards. Thus, the preparation and implementation of the project are in compliance with the best international standards. However, despite the type of HPP and its moderate size, the project is likely to have drastic impacts on the River Paravani. Moreover, the HPP’s development impacts are highly questionable...

The project will have drastic negative impacts on the biodiversity of River Paravani, as the project plans to divert 90 percent of the annual average flow (AAF) of River Paravani to River Mtkvari...

One of the major potential social impacts of the project is the risk of flooding the village of Khertvisi located downstream of the powerhouse of the project...

According to locals, almost every spring River Mtkvari floods the village, especially those land plots and houses located along the river, because of the lack of bank protection on the river. People fear that if riverbank protection measures are not implemented it will be impossible to live in the village after project implementation...

Apart from flooding, the ESIA also fails to describe problems regarding access to pastures and subsequent mitigation measures. According to the local population, since the start of construction works they have not been allowed to graze their cattle on their pastures (“Kvarsa”) as the path to the pastures has been closed by the project sponsor, while instead of pasture there is a gravel quarry. As a result, villagers have been forced to take cattle kilometers away from the village, which negatively impacts their productivity...