Regional energy trading: a new avenue for resolving a regional water dispute?

Scheumann, Waltina / Sahnaz Tigrek
External Publications (2015)

published on International Journal of Water Governance, special Issue, DOI: 10.7564/14-IJWG46

The Coruh / Chorokhi river system which is shared between Turkey and Georgia is of great economic importance to both countries because of its largely undeveloped but economically exploitable hydropower potential. On both sides of the border a large number of hydropower projects are being implemented unilaterally in which private investors play the key role, following the liberalisation of the energy sectors in both countries.
This article explores the regional disputes on the shared river and the degree of cooperation that exists. Despite prevailing negative impacts – i.e., the changes in sedimentation and the river flow regimes – caused by upstream dam construction in Turkey and affecting downstream Georgia, the article finds that the creation of a regional electricity market seems to be opening up a new avenue for cooperation between Turkey and Georgia also on the so far unilaterally utilized river.

About the author

Scheumann, Waltina

Political Scientist