Khudoni Hydro Power Plant (Georgian: ხუდონის ჰიდროელექტროსადგური [ხუდონჰესი], khudonis hidroelektrosadguri [khudonhesi]) is a projected power plant on Inguri River, in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Georgia that has 10 turbines with a nominal capacity of 74 MW each[1] having a total capacity of 740 MW. The power plants associated dam will be a 200m tall concrete double-arch-gravity dam.
The construction of the Khudoni Hydro Power Plant started in 1979 and was stopped after the protests over environmental concern[2] in June 1989. In 2005-2006, the Georgian government started to seek investments to continue the Khudoni project.[3] According to the Georgian government-commissioned and the World Bank-supported study the construction of Namakhvani, Paravani and Khudoni hydro power plants are the most attractive scenarios for the development of Georgia's energy sector.[2]
Environmentalists remain skeptical about the Khudoni HPP project. The construction will also cause flooding of the highland village of Khaishi, requiring the resettlement of local population.[2] The World Bank considers the impact of the dam construction on microclimate to be of "very localized nature".[4]