In January 2026, Georgia sharply increased its electricity purchases abroad – expenses surged by 157% and reached $22.5 million, according to data from the National Statistics Office. The main increase came from imports from Russia: in one month, the country spent $7.9 million, which is almost 42 times higher than the figures for January 2025. In physical terms, this amounted to 389 million kWh, part of which was sent to occupied Abkhazia at a special tariff.

Turkey ranked first in terms of supply costs: Georgia purchased electricity worth $10.2 million from its neighbors, which became an unprecedented volume – 119 million kWh. Usually, Turkey is the main market for Georgian energy exports, so these purchases came as a surprise.

Neither the "State Electricity System" nor the "Electricity Market Operator" provided explanations for the reasons for the record imports. Experts suggest that the sharp increase in purchases may be due to an increase in domestic demand and the need to ensure a stable energy supply to the country.