Shilda Villagers v. Kakheti Energy Distribution Company

Shilda Villagers v. Kakheti Energy Distribution Company

The protests in Kakheti are getting more intense. This time, the inhabitants of the village of Shilda in the Kvareli region have taken to the streets. They are protesting against the indifference of the local government and the actions of the Kakheti Energy Distribution Company.

According to the protestors, the Kakheti Energy Distribution Company makes the inhabitants pay double or even triple price for their electricity. “We always pay more than is actually metered. We have been paying extra for several months but we will not do that any longer”, state the inhabitants of Shilda.

The inhabitants also claim that despite paying their bills, they have no electricity. “We always pay the bills for the electricity; even the pensioners pay from their 28- lari-pension more than it is metered”, says Julieta Burdiashvili.

The irritated inhabitants demand a meeting with the representatives of the Energy Distribution Company. However, the company’s representatives never engage with the Shilda inhabitants to try to resolve the problem. Furthermore, they have locked the Electro Company building in the village and avoided the tense situation.

Since the representatives of the company are hiding, the population applied to Vano Kananadze who is Head of the Shilda Administration. Nevertheless, the problems that the inhabitants experience have not been solved.

“I pay for the electricity the same way the other inhabitants do. Despite the President’s order to pay the bills according to the individual meter reading, the regional Energy Distribution Company says that it is a private company and offers the customers its own price. It states that if the company’s terms and conditions are not suitable for them, they will not provide the inhabitants with their services”, said Vano Kananadze.

One of the employees of the Energy Distribution Company, Giorgi Mamulashvili, turned up during the protest. He was unable to calm the infuriated public with his speech. “Soon we plan to set up individual meters, but meanwhile the inhabitants will have to pay in the same way, according to the shared common meter. We cannot provide the inhabitants with the electricity until we get 80% of price for the power used”, stated Mamulashvili.

He also highlighted the following: “The meters that the population have in their houses are old and do not work properly. That is why the new shared common meter gives a different indication”.

The inhabitants of Shilda doubt Mamulashvili’s statement. They wonder why the meter man records their meter readings if their meters are old and give bad readings. These questions still remain unanswered. 

Shilda is not the only village where the residents pay extra money for electricity. However, the inhabitants of other villages remain quiet. The Shilda inhabitants plan to apply to the Prosecutor’s office if their demands are not taken into account.

Veriko Kobiashvili