Turkish power ships have entered Lebanon in 2013 during Najib Mikati’s government as part of Minister Gebran Bassil’s plan to provide 24/24 electricity. However, after 8 years of their presence on seashores they are leaving the country while is still plunged in darkness.

These ships were a curse on the Lebanese treasury, as it witnessed brokering operations and commissions for the benefit of Minister Bassil’s team, documented by voice on many Lebanese media channels. These practices have urged the Financial Prosecutor, Ali Ibrahim, to confiscate these ships and prevent them from leaving Lebanon, but high-level political contacts, according to Sawt Beirut International (SBI) led to its release from custody.

Sources following up on the electricity file indicated to SBI that the Karpowership, which operates Fatima Gul and Orhan Bey, has dues in excess of $220 million as operating allowances for the years 2020 and 2021, that must be paid in fresh dollars.

The sources revealed that the ships had stopped production in the last three months due to the shortage of fuel, and they were producing only half an hour of power instead of 4 possible, as they normally constitute 25 percent of the electrical energy production in Lebanon.

According to the sources, the decision of the Karpowership to leave the country is final, and the process of separating the ships from the electricity plants in Zouk and Jiyeh will begin next Monday, and they will be ready to leave Lebanon within two weeks.

But how will these ships be able to leave first without receiving their financial dues, and how will they leave and the file of corruption and brokerage is still in the custody of the Lebanese judiciary, or will Minister Basil be able to