By Ebi Kesiena
Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown has been hit by power cuts as Turkey’s Karpowership switched off the electricity supply.
According to Sierra Leone’s energy minister Kanja Sesay, the power outage was due to an unpaid debt of around $40 million.
Minister of Energy Kanja Sesay while speaking with Reuters explained that the outstanding amount was accrued over time because the government subsidizes more than half the cost the ship charges per kilowatt hour.
He noted that the government had to spend more on the subsidy because it charges consumers in the weak local Leone currency, one of worst performing against the dollar in which it pays the power provider.
Minister Sesay said the switch-off by Karpowership had reduced electricity supply to the capital by 13%, as electricity is now being rationed in the capital with homes and business going without electricity for hours daily.
‘‘A government commission has been set up to review consumer electricity tariffs which could double’’ he said.
Karpowership, one of the world’s largest operators of floating power plants and part of the Karadeniz Energy Group, signed deals in 2018 and 2020 to provide electricity to Sierra Leone’s state power utility.
The company has made similar deals with several Africa countries that are struggling with electricity supply.
The company says on its website that it had deployed around 65 megawatt power generation capacity to Sierra Leone since 2020 and has been supplying 80% of its total electricity needs.
Karpower is one of three sources of electricity to the city, the other two includes the country’s hydro dam, and power from an interconnection with Ivory Coast which also supplies Guinea and Liberia.
However, Sesay said Karpower supply is mostly needed during the dry season when water levels at its dam are low.
‘‘Dependence on the firm is reduced during the rainy season because we are currently at the peak of May to November rainy season,’’ he said.
