More Karadeniz powerships start work in Africa

Karadeniz Powership Dogan Bey

MARCH 27, 2018 — Turkish floating power plant specialist Karpowership, a member of the Istanbul-based Karadeniz Energy Group, reports that the Karadeniz Powership Dogan Bey will soon start electricity production in Sierra Leone, operating from its offshore location directly into the grid substation.

The floating plant, which has 126 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity, will meet 33 percent of Sierra Leone’s electricity needs for five years, under the Utility Grid Infrastructure and Electricity Supply Agreement with Sierra Leone’s Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

Karpowership has also recently signed an electricity sales agreement with Gambia’s national water and electricity company NAWEC and the Gambian Energy Ministry, which will help meet 33 percent of Gambia’s electricity needs for two years.

The 37 MW Karadeniz Powership Koray Bey has already arrived in the capital of Gambia.

“The powership will also be ready as soon as possible to meet the short or long-term electricity needs,” said the company coordinator Mehmet Katmer.

Since 2010, 15 powerships have been completed for Karpowership, with a total installed electricity power generation capacity exceeding 2,800 MW.

Powerships with an additional 5,000 MW of capacity are either under construction or in the pipeline.

Last year, Karpowership placed an order with MAN Diesel & Turbo for a total of 38 MAN 51/60 engines for use in its powership fleet.

According to MAN Diesel & Turbo, 18 of the units will be multi-fuel engines, which can be run on gas or liquid fuel. Another 20 are pure gas engines, including the MAN 18V51/60G TS, currently the most powerful and efficient gas engine in the world. The engines each have a power output of 18.5 – 20.4 MW.