The Minister of Energy and Mines, Fatima Chiboub, along with Faycal Trifa, Managing Director of Société Tunisienne d’Électricité et de Gaz, and representatives from Norwegian and Japanese companies, signed two agreements on September 18 for the construction of renewable energy power stations in Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur.
These projects stem from a 2018 international call for tenders issued by the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy, targeting the development of 500 megawatts of solar energy across several sites: 50 MW each in Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur, 100 MW each in Kairouan and Gafsa, and 200 MW in Tataouine.
The Kairouan project, currently under construction, is being developed by AMEA Power with financing from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation and the African Development Bank. Construction for the Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur projects, financed by Norway, will commence following the signing of agreements on September 18, 2024, with foundation stones laid on September 19, 2024.
Tunisia’s National Energy Transition Strategy aims to reduce its energy deficit and dependency on domestic resources by 2035. This includes expanding renewable energy integration to 35% by 2030, with an additional capacity of around 5,000 MW through investments of approximately $4.5 billion.
Agreements for the Tataouine and Gafsa projects were previously signed in May 2024, and all five renewable energy projects are expected to be operational between late 2025 and 2026.