The legal path of wind farm development in Georgia
A wind farm in Georgia falls within the general regime determined by the Law on Energy: the generation of electricity is subject to mandatory authorization, with precisely defined steps from application through commissioning to promotion mechanisms. This page explains each stage of this path: the license requirement, the documentation of the licence application, the trial run for commissioning, and the legal frame of support for renewable generation.
Licensing: requirement, exceptions and application documentation
In accordance with the Law on Licenses and Permits and the Law on Energy, the commission issues licences in the electricity sector for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and the operation of the market, for the corresponding activities in the natural gas sector, and for water supply. It is prohibited to carry on these activities without a valid licence issued by the commission.
At the same time the law defines exceptions that may be relevant for smaller wind projects: licensing is not required for the generation of electricity solely for one's own consumption where the object of generation and consumption is not connected to the transmission or distribution network; for the generation of electricity at the time of commissioning of the object in accordance with the law; and for generation by small and micro-capacity power plants. An undertaking carrying on such unlicensed activity must nevertheless declare it as established by law.
An activity licence is issued in a transparent, objective, legally substantiated and non-discriminatory manner. Together with the application, the licence seeker must submit to the commission, among other requirements: documents confirming ownership or use of the devices needed for generation; documents confirming their commissioning or conformity with technical requirements; the single-line scheme and plan of the electrical network; the technical condition for connection to the network; the environmental decision provided by the Environmental Assessment Code, where it is mandatory; the list of operational assets with their values and the audit report; and information on the organizational structure confirming the human resources of the required qualification.
The refusal rule also matters: a refusal to issue a licence may be given only on a ground established by law, must be legally substantiated and properly explained, and may be appealed. Every refusal concerning an energy activity licence, with its reasons, is reported to the Energy Community Secretariat. In addition, from 1 September 2026 a rule enters into force under which an integrated environmental permit may be required instead of or together with the environmental decision.
Commissioning — the trial run
An undertaking that has built a generation object or reconstructed it, including increasing its capacity, and has connected it to the network in accordance with the legislation, must apply to the operator of the respective system for a trial run and/or complex testing for commissioning. The operator gives consent or refuses according to the network rules, and where the rules do not provide otherwise — within no more than 90 calendar days from the trial run.
During this period the undertaking is not obliged to obtain a generation licence, while the purchase and sale of the electricity generated is regulated by the electricity market rules. Generation by an object accepted into operation is permitted only on the basis of a licence, save for the exceptions provided by law, where a document confirming commissioning suffices.
Support for renewable generation
Wind is a renewable source, and the law separately regulates its promotion. The promotion of electricity generation is regulated transparently and non-discriminatorily, taking into account economic expediency, the minimal costs of the final consumer and the criteria of influence on the energy balance. Generation from renewable sources and high-efficiency cogeneration may be encouraged through support mechanisms defined by established rules and conditions, in order to reach the level established for Georgia by the legislation of the Energy Community.
Every incentive measure must be assessed in the light of the law's requirements and, where necessary, substantiated in accordance with competition and state-aid law. Support is thus possible, but it must be lawful and must not contradict competition on the market — the real availability of support mechanisms is a separate matter to clarify when planning a project.
Practical advice for the developer
Begin by establishing precisely whether the capacity of your project requires a licence; prepare the documentation according to the complete list published by the commission; obtain the environmental decision in good time; plan the trial run with the 90-day decision window in mind; and examine the currently available support mechanisms. With this staged approach, wind farm development becomes a legally manageable process.
Remember also that the licence is confirmed by the commission's licence certificate, indicating the licence holder, the licensed activity, the service, the location of the assets, the area of operation and the date of issue — the legal passport of the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequent questions about wind farm development.
Does a wind farm require a licence?
Electricity generation requires a mandatory licence and may not be carried on without one; exceptions are own-consumption generation not connected to the network, the commissioning period, and small or micro-capacity plants.
What must a licence seeker submit?
Documents confirming ownership or use of the devices, commissioning or conformity documents, the single-line network scheme, the connection technical condition, the environmental decision where mandatory, the asset list with audit, and organizational-structure information.
Within what period is commissioning decided?
Where the rules do not provide otherwise, consent or refusal is announced within 90 calendar days from the trial run.
Can wind energy be supported?
Yes — generation from renewable sources may be encouraged through established support mechanisms, but every measure must conform to competition and state-aid rules.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The lawyers of Legal.ge determine the licence requirement, prepare the application documentation, plan the 90-day commissioning window and assess the availability of support mechanisms. Contact us at the concept stage.