Karpowership powers 25% of Gabon’s electricity grid with floating plants

Karpowership, a Turkish leader in floating power plants, has become a cornerstone of Gabon’s energy landscape. According to country director Evans Damada, the company’s vessels anchored off Libreville and Port-Gentil now supply 150 megawatts to the national grid—nearly 25% of the country’s total generating capacity. This significant contribution highlights both the urgency of Gabon’s power shortages and the challenges of securing reliable energy infrastructure.

Fast-tracked contributions to Gabon’s energy crisis

Karpowership’s rapid deployment has transformed Gabon’s power supply in a matter of months. The company’s expansion came as repeated blackouts disrupted homes, businesses, and industrial zones alike. The powerships’ ability to be towed between countries and connected to grids within weeks—unlike traditional land-based plants, which take years to build—has made them a critical stopgap solution across Africa, including in the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Mozambique. These contracts, typically structured as long-term power purchase agreements denominated in US dollars with per-kilowatt-hour pricing, have sparked financial debates in several African capitals. The model, while flexible, ties energy costs directly to global hydrocarbon prices—raising concerns about fiscal sustainability for governments heavily reliant on imported fuel.

Energy security vs. strategic dependency

The 150 MW injection offers Gabon immediate relief, but it also underscores the country’s vulnerability. The Société d’énergie et d’eau du Gabon (SEEG) has long struggled to meet rising demand driven by rapid urbanization, special economic zones, and revived mining projects. Gabon’s power mix—historically powered by hydropower, natural gas, and fuel oil—has been stretched thin as aging infrastructure fails to keep pace with growth. Yet the reliance on a single foreign supplier raises strategic concerns. With 25% of capacity controlled by Karpowership, the company holds significant negotiating leverage at a time when Gabon is pushing to develop its domestic gas resources and strengthen energy sovereignty. Since the 2023 regime change, the transitional government has prioritized infrastructure revitalization, forcing a delicate balance between immediate needs and long-term vision.

Bridging the gap to local energy projects

Evans Damada frames Karpowership’s role as transitional, designed to bridge the gap between today’s urgent demand and the phased rollout of new domestic capacity. Key initiatives include the Kinguélé Aval hydroelectric dam, a project led by Meridiam and Gabon Power Company, as well as offshore gas-powered plants. Once these projects come online, they are expected to gradually reduce the share of floating power in the national energy mix. In the meantime, the Turkish vessels remain central to daily operations, supplying base-load power to Libreville and the industrial corridor of the Estuary. Maintenance is handled by mixed teams of Turkish and Gabonese technicians, alongside limited training programs—though local authorities are pushing for deeper knowledge transfer. Looking ahead, the conversation in Gabon has shifted from whether the country can do without Karpowership to how it will rebalance its electricity portfolio. Upcoming challenges include renegotiating tariffs, contract terms, and the integration timeline for domestic gas into the grid. The Turkish operator has signaled its intent to remain a long-term partner in Gabon’s energy sector.