Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Karpowership, the global leader in floating power generation, has announced a significant reduction in its electricity supply to Sierra Leone due to persistent non-payment of capacity fees and fuel costs by the government.
The company, which has been supplying power to Sierra Leone since 2018, says it has not received payment for capacity fees in over two years and has gone six months without reimbursement for fuel supplied.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, Karpowership stated that while it remains committed to supporting the people of Sierra Leone with reliable electricity, the financial burden has become unsustainable. As a result, the company has scaled down its generation from 50 megawatts (MW) to just 6MW—barely enough to power critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and water facilities.
“Even now, Karpowership does not want to cut electricity since it would impact critical infrastructures,” the company noted, emphasizing its continued effort to prioritize essential services despite mounting financial strain.
In January 2025, high-level discussions were held between senior government officials and Karpowership representatives in Istanbul to address the growing debt. A payment plan was mutually agreed upon and endorsed by the Minister of Finance, the Chairman of the Energy Sector, and the Director General of the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA). However, Karpowership revealed that the plan was not honored, with the first installment for January already delayed by February.
Despite direct engagements and multiple follow-up reminders in April, the government failed to meet its financial commitments. The situation prompted the company to issue a suspension notice on 28 May 2025, requesting an immediate payment of 30% of the outstanding arrears.
Karpowership acknowledged the financial difficulties faced by the Government of Sierra Leone but stressed that it can no longer finance the country’s energy needs without urgent intervention.
“We fully understand the financial challenges currently facing the Government of Sierra Leone and have consistently sought ways to help mitigate the impact. But the prolonged delay in payments has reached a point where we can no longer meet our obligations to suppliers—particularly fuel providers,” the statement read.
Despite the setbacks, the company expressed its willingness to continue dialogue and collaboration, reiterating its long-term commitment to Sierra Leone’s energy sector.
“We remain hopeful that this situation can be resolved promptly and are committed to working closely with the Government of Sierra Leone to find a sustainable path forward,” the company concluded.
Karpowership thanked the people of Sierra Leone for their patience and understanding during what it described as a challenging period, assuring them of its dedication to the country’s energy future.
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