Turkish Karpowership Arrives in Havana Bay for Maintenance
A Turkish floating power plant owned by Karadeniz Holding was towed from the Dominican Republic to Havana Bay on 28 July. The vessel, visibly rusted after more than three decades of service in Puerto Plata, was moved by the Liberian‑flagged support ship Karadeniz One.
Cuban officials clarified that the powership will not be connected to the national grid and is intended solely for maintenance at the Asticar port. The arrival sparked public speculation about potential relief from the country's chronic power outages, but state electricity company UNE confirmed that no new generation capacity will be added.
The powership is part of a fleet that previously supplied roughly 400 MW to Cuba during peak demand periods, but its current role is limited to repairs rather than electricity production.
Entities: Dominican Republic · Havana · Karadeniz Holding · Karpowership · Unión Eléctrica (UNE)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cuban state electricity company UNE stated the powership will not generate electricity for the system. (UNE statement on social media)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The powership was towed by the Liberian‑flagged vessel Karadeniz One. (towed by the Karadeniz One, an 80‑metre support ship)
- [● 2 SOURCES] A Turkish floating power plant arrived in Havana Bay on 28 July. (arrived on Tuesday 28 July)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The powership appears heavily rusted and shows signs of severe corrosion. (visibly oxidized and rusted condition)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The powership had operated in the Dominican Republic for 33 years before being removed. (removed after 33 years in Puerto Plata bay)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The vessel will be used only for maintenance in Cuba, not for electricity generation. (intended solely for maintenance; will not be connected to the national grid)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The arrival led to public speculation in Cuba about potential relief from long power outages. (sparked curiosity and expectation among Cubans)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Karadeniz‑operated powerships have historically contributed about 400 MW to Cuba's peak demand. (fleet contributed around 400 MW during peak demand)