Tunisia invests in existing power plants and renewables to secure electricity supply
The North African country plans to add generation capacity through gas turbines, power plant upgrades and solar and wind projects as it works towards a 35% renewable energy target by 2030
Tunisia is working tirelessly to strengthen its electricity supply. In a recent Ministerial Council chaired by Head of Government Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri, it was announced that the country is increasing the share of renewable energies in electricity production to 35% by 2030, in order to strengthen the country’s energy security.
The Minister of Equipment and Housing, Slah Zouari, who is also in charge of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, outlined plans to ensure a reliable electricity supply while reducing the sector’s financial deficit. The strategy also aims to improve the competitiveness of the national economy as Tunisia faces climate-related challenges and geopolitical uncertainty.
In the short term, the country plans to increase electricity generation by improving the performance of existing power plants and bringing additional capacity online. These measures include installing air-cooling systems to increase output by 250 megawatts (MW), commissioning a third gas turbine at Borj El Amri with a capacity of 300 MW, and acquiring gas engines with a combined capacity of 200 MW. Tunisia also intends to fully bring the Kchabta and Maktar power plants back into operation, adding approximately 190 MW of capacity.
Through these efforts, Tunisia expects at least 300 MW of renewable energy capacity to be connected to the electricity grid by summer 2027. A further 40 MW is expected from the fifth round of projects under the country’s permitting scheme.
The planned developments include expanding the Sidi Daoud wind farm by approximately 30 MW, constructing a 50 MW solar photovoltaic plant in Beni M’hira with a 20 MWh energy storage system, and developing a 200 MW solar photovoltaic plant in Tataouine. The Tataouine project will also include a 100 MWh storage system to support the integration of renewable energy into the electricity supply.
