Freetown and the cities of Bo, Kenema and Koidu have experienced multi-day stretches without electricity.
In an email to Reuters on April 19, Karpowership said it was owed $48 million and had scaled down supplies to six megawatts from 60 megawatts.
At that time, it said it had not received payment from the government of Sierra Leone for “a protracted period” and was therefore unable pay fuel suppliers on behalf of the West African country.
In September, Karpowership switched off the electricity supply to Freetown over an unpaid debt of around $40 million, authorities said at the time.
Hospitals have struggled to cope, with at least one infant at the main children’s hospital having died due to the blackout, according to doctor Jeredine George. Medics had been using their mobile phone torches to carry out procedures, she said, while many had taken to social media to express their frustration.
The government statement also said it had paid $1.5 million to TRANSCO-CLSG, another electricity provider, which supplies the south and east of the country.
