Tunisia Inaugurates its First 100-Megawatt Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant
Tunisia has inaugurated its first 100-megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant in Metbassta-Sbikha, in the Kairouan governorate, a flagship project of a national program aiming for 500 megawatts of renewable energy and marking the effective launch of the concession system in the Tunisian energy sector.
The Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, inaugurated the Metbassta-Sbikha solar power plant on Tuesday, developed by Emirati investor Amea Power for an amount of 250 million dinars. The facility, which spans 200 hectares and includes 221,000 solar panels, will provide electricity to approximately 43,000 Tunisian households and reduce carbon emissions by 117,000 metric tons annually.
The project will decrease natural gas imports by around 22 million dollars per year, equivalent to 2.3% of the imported quantities, and represents 0.5% of the national primary energy consumption for 2024. The STEG (Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas) will realize fuel savings estimated at 15 million dollars annually. Once in production, the facility is expected to reduce electricity production costs dependent on conventional fuels by approximately 50 million dinars.
The initiative is part of the first call for tenders for the concession system, awarded in December 2019 and ratified by Decree No. 19 of December 22, 2021. It constitutes the first phase of a comprehensive program comprising five projects totaling nearly 500 megawatts, distributed across five governorates. Financing was secured by international financial institutions under the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, with the latter contributing 73 million dinars.
Fatma Thabet Chiboub highlighted the strategic, economic, and environmental dimensions of the program. Strategically, it aims to reduce the energy deficit and secure the country's supply. Economically, these facilities will decrease the cost of electricity production, supporting efforts to reduce subsidies and improve the financial situation of the STEG. The project generates 40 permanent jobs and contributes to regional development. The Minister described this project as a first experience that has allowed the establishment of the foundations of a successful partnership between the various administrations to obtain the necessary authorizations, an experience that will serve as a reference for future projects, enabling the reduction of implementation deadlines.
The works, carried out over 18 months, mobilized more than 800 people, including over half from the Kairouan governorate who benefited from training in photovoltaic installation and maintenance. According to Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amea Power, 60% of employees come from surrounding villages, and Tunisian companies participated as subcontractors, acquiring experience in the construction of renewable energy power plants.
Maline Blomberg, Deputy General Manager for North Africa at the African Development Bank, described this initiative as emblematic, resulting from a shared vision between public authorities, the private sector, and financial partners, aiming to provide affordable electricity to citizens. She affirmed that the AfDB will continue to support Tunisia in developing resilient infrastructure and inclusive and regional development for the country.
Faycel Trifa, CEO of the STEG, described the project as a national strategic initiative, inscribed in the public policy of accelerating energy transition. The STEG played its role as a public partner by providing the necessary technical assistance and ensuring connection to the national grid, thus ensuring the security and stability of the electrical system.
The project is integrated into the National Strategic Plan for Energy Control 2035, aiming to reduce energy demand by 37% and achieve 50% of electricity production from renewable sources.
Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amea Power, stated that this power plant represents the largest solar energy project developed and entirely realized in Tunisia to date. Amea Power, active in more than twenty countries, has recently extended its operations in Central Asia, notably in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, with wind, solar, and energy storage projects. In Egypt, the company built the Benban solar power plant in Aswan, with a capacity of 500 megawatts and 300 megawatts of energy storage batteries, currently being expanded with an additional 1,000 megawatts completed in May 2024. It has also realized the 500-megawatt Ras Ghareb wind farm, which is being extended by 1,000 megawatts, bringing its Egyptian portfolio to 2,500 megawatts.
To address water scarcity challenges in Africa, Amea Power has partnered with the company Cox to develop desalination stations in Togo and Angola, with projects also planned in Tunisia. Al Nowais declared that Tunisia holds a special place in the hearts of the company, expressing the ambition to increase its presence in the country with new investments.
