Turkey’s Karpowership, which provides electricity to Lebanon from two barges, said it was shutting down supplies on Friday over payment arrears and after a legal threat to its vessels in the country, which is in the middle of a deep economic crisis.
The company, which supplies Lebanon with 370 megawatts, the equivalent of about a quarter of the country’s current supply, told the government this week that it would have to take the step if there were no moves to reach a settlement.
A source familiar with the situation said the measure was taken about 8am on Friday as fuel on the vessels ran out.
The shutdown threatens longer daily power cuts across Lebanon. The heavily indebted nation did not have enough capacity to meet demand even before Karpowership’s move on Friday.
Many people rely on private generators or struggle for several hours a day without power.
The source said the payment arrears exceeded $100 million, and that the Lebanese government had not reached out for talks or to try and resolve a legal case, despite the company’s repeated appeals meant to avert a shutdown.
Lebanon’s Finance Ministry said it had been notified by the Turkish firm and cited a lawmaker saying that the country could face “total darkness” in case of a shut-off. It has made no public statement about any talks.
A Lebanese prosecutor threatened this month to seize the barges and fine the firm after Lebanese TV channel Al Jadeed reported corruption accusations over the power contract.
The firm, a unit of the Turkish energy company Karadeniz, denies the charges.
At the weekend, it said it had not been paid for 18 months, a period coinciding with Lebanon’s financial crisis, and added that it sought a “reasonable solution” to maintain generation.
Each of its barges has capacity of 202 MW, against a contract to supply a total of 370 MW.
An industry source said Lebanon’s total capacity was about 2,200 MW, including the barges, but was only generating a total of 1,300 MW, including the Turkish supplies of 370 MW. Lebanon’s peak demand in 2020 was 3,500 MW, the source said.
Medina County Scam Squad coming to residents’ rescue
Both local and widespread scams have been claiming victims for years, continuing to increase and change as technology and other factors evolve. To combat this, the Medina County Office of Older Adults and the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office have worked together to...
Ohio man who hid camera in bathroom to record children sentenced to 20 years in prison
A federal judge sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for creating child pornography, including using a hidden camera in a bathroom to secretly record children. Timothy Wright, 50, of Dublin, Ohio, also will spend 10 years on supervised released once he completes his...
Powerball winning numbers for Monday, Dec. 12, 2022; jackpot $124 million
Winning numbers were selected in the Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, Powerball drawing, with the jackpot at an estimated $124 million. The winning numbers are 16-31-50-55-61 Powerball 9 Power Play 4. The Classic Lotto numbers are 1-3-4-16-17-47 Kicker 206288. The jackpot...
Northeast Ohio Monday weather forecast: Rain and snow showers possible
Chilly weather kicks off the work week in Northeast Ohio, with chances of both snow and rain showers on Monday. The National Weather Service says the best chances for snow showers are before 11 a.m., with temperatures in the mid-30s. It will be cloudy throughout the...
Submit your event
We will be happy to share your events. Please email us the details and pictures at publish@profilenewsohio.com
Address
P.O. Box: 311001 Independance, Ohio, 44131
Call Us
+1 (216) 269 3272
Email Us
Publish@profilenewsohio.com