Creation of Spatial (Geographic) Data Web-Portal for the Energy Sector (GE0045)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Georgia National Action Plan 2016-2018
Action Plan Cycle: 2016
Status:
Institutions
Lead Institution: Ministry of Energy of Georgia
Support Institution(s): NA
Policy Areas
Capacity Building, Energy, Infrastructure & Transport, Land and Spatial Planning, Public Service DeliveryIRM Review
IRM Report: Georgia End-of-Term Report 2016-2018, Georgia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018
Early Results: Did Not Change
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Yes
Ambition (see definition): Low
Implementation i
Description
Creation of spatial (Geographic) data web-portal for the energy sector. Geo-Information Systems (GIS) in the energy sector need development and further elaboration. There is no relevant software or united internet space where stakeholders can find information about the location of the energy objects and their various characteristics. This makes it difficult for interested stakeholders (investors among them) to obtain information in a timely manner; interest to implement various projects decreases, and projects are not developed efficiently. In the framework of the given commitment, the Ministry of Energy shall create a publicly accessible electronic space to periodically update information about spatial data. The portal will enable stakeholders (both in the country and abroad) to remotely obtain information about the location of the energy objects and their characteristics. This will facilitate more efficient project implementation at the initial stage, as well as throughout the implementation process. The commitment promotes improving principles of efficiency of governance, innovation and technologies. Date of Implementation: 2016-2017. Issues to be Addressed: Geo-information system and relevant software tools need development and further elaboration. No united internet space is available where stakeholders could obtain information about the location of the energy objects and their characteristics. Main Objective: - Development of geo-information systems; - Simplifying the process of obtaining information concerning the location of the energy objects and about their characteristics for the stakeholders; - Supporting the effective implementation of new and ongoing projects.
IRM End of Term Status Summary
4. Creation of spatial (geographic) data web-portal for the energy sector
Commitment Text:
Geo-Information Systems (GIS) in the energy sector need development and further elaboration. There is no relevant software or united internet space where stakeholders can find information about the location of the energy objects and their various characteristics. This makes it difficult for interested stakeholders (investors among them) to obtain information in a timely manner; interest to implement various projects decreases, and projects are not developed efficiently.
In the framework of the given commitment, the Ministry of Energy shall create a publicly accessible electronic space to periodically update information about spatial data. The portal will enable stakeholders (both in the country and abroad) to remotely obtain information about the location of the energy objects and their characteristics. This will facilitate more efficient project implementation at the initial stage, as well as throughout the implementation process.
The commitment promotes improving principles of efficiency of governance, innovation and technologies.
Responsible institution: Ministry of Energy of Georgia
Supporting institution(s): None
Start date: September 2016 End date: December 2017
Commitment Aim:
Georgian citizens have little information about the government’s energy projects including their location and characteristics. To address this, the Ministry of Energy committed to creating a publicly accessible online portal that would contain this missing data.
Status
Midterm: Limited
At the midterm point, the commitment saw limited implementation as the new energy portal was not launched. The Ministry created an internal working group, including relevant public agencies and state-owned energy companies, and reached a consensus as to what kind of information should available on the portal. The Ministry also identified energy companies under its jurisdiction that had to provide data for the portal. The companies started sharing some of their data and the Ministry was in the process of analyzing this data. For more information, please see the 2016–2017 IRM midterm report.
End of term: Limited
Similar to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Energy was also dissolved, and its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, according to the December 2017 amendments. [13] This government reorganization and restructuring hindered the smooth and prompt implementation of this commitment within the dates set out in the action plan. The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development plans to launch the unified energy portal on its website in the near future but was unable to provide a more specific date. Among other data, this new portal would contain data on hydropower plants and renewable energy sources as well as the methodology used for selecting energy objects (energy generating and distribution facilities) for exploitation. [14] As of the reporting period, energy-related data is scattered between the pre-existing portals of Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation (gas pipeline projects) [15] and the outdated portal of the then Ministry of Energy containing maps of hydropower plants, thermoelectric power stations, and companies extracting oil in Georgia. [16]
Did It Open Government?
Access to Information: Did Not Change
As mentioned above, the government has not yet launched the unified and up-to-date energy portal for public use. The pre-existing portals contain limited and sometimes outdated information (only names and brief descriptions of energy objects and related projects) and the wider public is not aware of their existence. Therefore, the level of public access to information has not changed since the start of this commitment.
Carried Forward?
The commitment was not carried into the new Action Plan 2018−2019. In addition to publishing the methodology for selecting energy resources for exploitation, stakeholders also recommended that the government disclose all relevant documents about investment projects (contract terms, memoranda, detailed assessments of the projects’ impact on local climate, environment and population, etc.). The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development could also involve citizens in the initial phases of decision-making regarding the exploitation of the energy resources.
[13] Law of Georgia, “Amendment to the Law of Georgia on the Structure, Competences, and Work of Georgian Government,” Art. 2, doc. no. 1620-RS (7 Dec. 2017), https://bit.ly/2xUs0fw.[14] Tamar Sabelashvili (Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development), interview with IRM researcher, 27 Sept. 2018.
[15] Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, https://bit.ly/2R3VOz3.
[16] Ministry of Energy, https://bit.ly/2ImC1GV.