The firm will add 5MW of capacity to the current production and will reach capacity to generate approximately 63MW in dry seasons and 23MW during the wet seasons for Sierra Leone’s EDSA
Karpowership already supplies approximately 80% of Sierra Leone’s electricity. (Credit: Pexels/Pixabay)
Karpowership, a Turkish owner, operator and builder of floating power plants, has signed a 5-year power supply agreement with Sierra Leone’s state power utility, Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA).
Karadeniz Energy Group’s subsidiary company is already supplying approximately 80% of Sierra Leone’s electricity.
Under a contract signed in 2018, the firm is supplying electricity through two powerships (floating power plants) that are installed off the capital Freetown.
The first powership Karadeniz Powership Doğan Bey has been in operation since June 2018, while the second started operation in Cline Town Bay in March 2019.
Under the new agreement, it will add 5MW of capacity to the current production, generating an average of 63MW in dry seasons and 23MW during the wet seasons for Sierra Leone’s EDSA.
The powerships are dual-fuel powered that use either heavy fuel oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG).
According to Reuters, the country’s current generation capacity falls short of the needs of its 7 million citizens, as its electrification rate is only 5%.
Karpowership supplies 4.1GW of electricity from its fleet of ships
Currently, Karpowership is providing approximately 4.1GW of electricity from its fleet of ships, mainly in eight African nations.
In 2017, Karpowership placed an order for engines with German firm MAN Diesel & Turbo for the powership fleet.
The work scope included supply of 38 MAN 51/60 engines, of which 18 were multi-fuel engines that can be run on gas or liquid fuel.