EU4Energy supports development of rules for the operation of supplier of last resort for gas consumers in Georgia

On 25 and 26 March, Energy Community experts in close cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and the Georgian National Energy Regulatory Commission (GNERC) launched EU4Energy technical assistance aimed at developing rules and regulations for the appointment and operation of a supplier of last resort in the natural gas market of Georgia.

The function of such a supplier is to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to those customers, whose original supplier went bankrupt or ceased operation for other reasons. Based on European best practices and the provisions of the recently adopted Law on Energy and Water Supply, the rules for tendering and appointing the supplier of last resort and a draft methodology for determining the price of gas supplies provided by the supplier of last resort will be developed.

The overall objective of the project is to enhance Georgia’s energy security, ensure an uninterrupted supply of natural gas in case of any temporary disruption and contribute to the improvement of the  legislative and regulatory environment of the Georgian natural gas market.

* The EU4Energy Initiative covers all EU support to improve energy supply, security and connectivity, as well as to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables in the Eastern Partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. It does this by financing projects and programmes that help to reform energy markets and to reduce national energy dependence and consumption. Over the longer term, this makes energy supply more reliable, transparent and affordable, thus reducing energy poverty and energy bills for both citizens and the private sector.