The Turkish group Karpowership, a specialist in floating power plants, has secured a pivotal position within Gabon’s energy framework. Country Director Evans Damada confirms that the powership vessels, currently moored off Libreville and Port-Gentil, are supplying 150 megawatts to the national grid. This substantial contribution accounts for nearly 25% of the country’s available generation capacity. Such a significant share from a private foreign operator underscores the persistent vulnerabilities within Gabon’s electrical system and the pressing need for rapidly deployable solutions.
A swift expansion on the Gabonese grid
Karpowership’s contribution to Gabon’s electricity mix has escalated dramatically over just a few months. The operator increased its capacity in direct response to widespread and persistent power outages that impacted both residential areas and industrial sites. This inherent flexibility is a key commercial advantage of the Turkish powerships, which can be towed between countries and connected to national grids within weeks – a stark contrast to conventional land-based power plants that often require several years for construction.
Gabon now joins an extensive list of African clients for the Istanbul-based group, which also operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Mozambique. The company’s economic model relies on multi-year electricity sales contracts, typically denominated in US dollars, with billing based on each kilowatt-hour produced. This financial arrangement has frequently sparked debate in various capitals due to the budgetary implications of purchases indexed to hydrocarbon prices.
Energy security and strategic reliance
For Gabonese authorities, the injection of 150 MW represents an immediate and vital relief. The Société d’énergie et d’eau du Gabon (SEEG) has struggled for years to meet escalating demand, driven by rapid urbanization, the expansion of special economic zones, and the revitalization of mining projects. The nation, whose electricity production relies on a blend of hydropower, natural gas, and fuel oil, has seen its operational margins shrink as its infrastructure ages.
Nevertheless, this reliance on a single supplier raises important questions. Controlling 25% of the available capacity grants Karpowership considerable negotiating power, particularly as Gabon simultaneously seeks to develop its domestic gas resources and enhance its energy sovereignty. The transitional authorities, who have prioritized infrastructure revitalization since the August 2023 regime change, must therefore balance immediate operational needs with a long-term strategic vision.
A bridge to new local capacities
Evans Damada frames his group’s involvement as a transitional measure, designed to bridge the gap between immediate demand and the gradual commissioning of new land-based capacities. Several projects are currently underway in Gabon, notably concerning the Kinguélé Aval dam, developed by Meridiam and Gabon Power Company, as well as gas-fired power plants fed by offshore fields. Once operational, these new infrastructures are expected to naturally reduce the relative share of powerships in the overall energy mix.
In the interim, the Turkish presence continues to be a foundational element of the national grid’s daily operations. The powership vessels operate as a base load, simultaneously supplying the greater Libreville area and the industrial corridor of the Estuaire region. Their maintenance, carried out by joint Turkish and Gabonese teams, includes a local training component, though its scale remains modest when compared to the comprehensive skill transfers anticipated by the authorities.
In the short term, the critical question is no longer whether Gabon can manage without Karpowership, but rather under what conditions the country will succeed in rebalancing its electricity portfolio. Negotiations over tariffs, contract durations, and the integration pathway for national gas resources are anticipated to be key discussion points moving forward. Karpowership reportedly aims to remain a long-term partner within Gabon’s electricity sector.