A Turkish firm has cut the power supply to Guinea-Bissau's capital over an unpaid bill of at least $15m, plunging the city into darkness. It has severely disrupted daily life, with even radio stations off-air. Karpowership had been supplying 100% of Guinea-Bissau's electricity since signing a five-year agreement with the state-owned electricity and water utility company in 2019.
Economy Minister Suleimane Seidi acknowledged the arrears, saying most of the bill would be paid in 15 days. Karpowership is one of the world's biggest floating power plant operators, with several African states relying on it for electricity.
But it has taken a tough line over non-payment. Last month, it cut power to Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, over an unpaid bill of $40m. The Turkish company has also signed a deal to supply power to South Africa, saying it will cover more than 5% of the country's total electricity needs. South Africa has been hit by a wave of power cuts with people going without electricity for up to 10 hours a day.
Power was cut in Bissau, a city with a population of more than 400,000, in the early hours of Tuesday. Some public hospitals are now using generators to carry out surgery, local journalist Assana Sambu told the BBC. State-run Rádio Nacional is among media outlets that have stopped broadcasting, while the private radio station where he works is only partially operating, he added.
Karpowership
also supplies electricity to six other African countries - Ghana, The
Gambia, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The company prides itself as "the owner, operator and builder of the world's only Powership (floating power plant)". Its involvement in the electricity sector is the latest example of Tukey's growing influence in Africa. Although
access to electricity has increased in sub-Saharan Africa in recent
years, it still remains low, with more than 50% of the region's
population having no connection to a power grid.
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