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Join on Telegram Rabat – Daily life in Guinea-Bissau’s capital has been severely disrupted as the Turkish energy company, Karpowership, has taken the drastic step of cutting power supplies to Bissau over an unpaid bill totaling at least $15 million (£12 million).
The move, which came into effect on Tuesday, has left more than 400,000 residents in the capital without electricity and has even silenced radio stations across the city.
A global leader in floating power plant operations, Karpowership has a significant presence in several African countries, providing a substantial portion of their electricity needs.
This unprecedented power cut in Bissau echoes the company’s similar action last month when it severed power supplies to Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, due to an unpaid bill of $40 million.
In addition to its actions in Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone, Karpowership recently inked a deal to supply power to South Africa, pledging to cover over 5% of the country’s total electricity requirements. South Africa has been grappling with frequent power cuts, leaving many citizens without electricity for up to 10 hours daily.
The abrupt cessation of electricity in Bissau has had far-reaching consequences. Hospitals are now relying on generators to perform surgeries, and media outlets, including the state-run Radio Nacional, have halted their broadcasts. Private radio stations are only partially operational, leaving residents in the dark both literally and figuratively.
In its defense, Karpowership emphasized that it has been the sole provider of electricity to Guinea-Bissau since signing a five-year agreement with the state-owned electricity and water utility company in 2019.
A spokesperson for the company explained: “Unfortunately, following a protracted period of non-payment, our floating power plant is now unable to continue operating. We are working around the clock with officials to resolve this issue and aim to have generation back online as soon as possible.”
In the wake of the power cutoff, Suleimane Seidi, the Economy Minister of Guinea-Bissau, announced that the company had “agreed to renegotiate with the government” to ensure the resumption of electricity supplies.
