AfrElec: Green Connection sues NERSA, DMRE over Karpowership deals in South Africa

Environmental activist nonprofit organisation the Green Connection has taken the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to court to “force” them to supply critical information regarding the Karpowership deals.

Karpowership, a Turkish builder, operator and owner of a fleet of floating power plants, uses powerships that can anchor at ports and provide electricity to customers facing power supply constraints.

The company was selected in March 2021 by the DMRE as a preferred bidder under the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP), Engineering News reported on June 5.

Under the programme, powerships at three of South Africa’s ports were expected to generate electricity from gas and feed it into the national grid. However, the three projects have faced various delays owing to logistical challenges and opposition from environmental activists.

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