Turkey’s Karadeniz Holding resumes electricity supply to Lebanon despite unpaid bill

Turkey's Karadeniz Holding said on June 29 that it is resuming electricity supply to Lebanon a month after it halted operations over payment arrears. The company, which shut down its two power barges in May, described the move as a goodwill gesture, Reuters reported.

Tuesday June 29 2021 08:00 pm

In this file photo, the Turkish floating power station Karadeniz Powership Orhan Bey is docked near the Jiyeh power plant, south of Beirut, Lebanon.

Reuters - Duvar English

Turkey's Karpowership, a subsidiary of Karadeniz Holding, will resume electricity supply to Lebanon from its two power ships from June 29 in a decision it said was a goodwill gesture against a backdrop of talks over payment arrears and a legal threat to its vessels.

The company told the government in May that it would have to shut down unless there were moves towards settling the issues.

Karpowership was supplying 370 megawatts (MW) when it halted operations over more than $100 million in payment arrears.

Two power units of Karpowership, Fatmagül Sultan and Orhan Bey, meet about a quarter of Lebanon's electricity needs.

The Turkish company has been operating in Lebanon since 2013.

Many people in Lebanon which has seen its currency collapse since a crisis erupted in late 2019, rely on private generators or struggle for many hours a day without power.

The power blackouts have fuelled protests across the country with people taking to the streets to protest corruption and deteriorating living conditions.