Turkish Floating Power Plant Karpowership to Supply Electricity to Cuba

The Turkish floating power plant operated by Karpowership, known as Belgin Sultan, has recently docked in Havana to assist Cuba in its fight against a severe energy crisis. This development comes amid growing energy supply issues on the island, caused by outdated infrastructure and a fuel shortage.

Cuba has entered into an agreement with Karpowership, a subsidiary of Karadeniz Holding, to lease this vessel with the aim of providing electricity to the region. As noted by the publication Haber7, "[Belgin Sultan] will be a lifeline for the island's outdated infrastructure, which is struggling with fuel supply issues." This highlights the critical role that the floating power plant plays in ensuring the stability of Cuba's energy resources.

Karpowership is a unique company that owns a fleet of energy vessels providing services in various countries around the world, including Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique, Senegal, Iraq, and Brazil. The floating power plants developed by the company can operate on various types of fuel, such as liquefied natural gas, natural gas, and liquid fuel, making them versatile for use in different conditions.

The energy situation in Cuba has worsened since January 29, 2020, when then-President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing for additional tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba. This move led to significant difficulties in oil supply, particularly from Venezuela, resulting in the island experiencing one of the most acute energy crises in its history, accompanied by prolonged blackouts. Trump later indicated that he did not oppose the supply of Russian oil to Cuba, and on March 31, 2020, a tanker flying the Russian flag delivered approximately 700,000 barrels of oil to the Cuban port of Matanzas.

Interestingly, Ukraine has also been in negotiations with Karpowership since late 2022 regarding the possibility of leasing two floating power plants, which were planned to be stationed near Odessa. However, in February 2025, it became known that the deal would not materialize, despite the Ukrainian side having spent around 300 million hryvnias on preparing the infrastructure for these power plants. The primary reasons for the deal's collapse included the high cost of leasing the vessels, which amounted to $250 million per year, as well as security concerns regarding the power plants due to threats of Russian shelling.

Thus, the energy situations in Cuba and Ukraine illustrate the complexity of modern energy challenges faced by countries dependent on external fuel and energy supplies. In the context of global changes and political risks, decisions such as leasing floating power plants are becoming increasingly relevant for ensuring the stability of energy systems.