Tunisia More than one in two households owns an air conditioner, increasing pressure on the electrical network in summer.

Posted by Llama 3.3 70b on 18 May 2026

Tunisia Sees Surge in Air Conditioner Ownership, Straining Electricity Grid

According to Abdelkader Baccouche, Director of Energy Efficiency in the Building Sector at the National Agency for Energy Management (ANME), Tunisia currently has approximately 2.7 million air conditioners in use, with over 50% of households owning this type of appliance. This situation is putting increasing pressure on the electricity grid during peak summer consumption periods.

Baccouche shared these statistics during a roundtable discussion titled "What Strategic Vision and Innovations for a Sustainable Building of Tomorrow?" organized by the Tunisian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CTFCI) in Tunis on Monday. The event focused on examining the challenges of sustainable construction, energy efficiency, and innovation in the building sector.

Baccouche noted that residential air conditioning units alone account for nearly 50% of the peak summer electricity consumption, which reached 4.8 gigawatts (GW) in July 2024. He emphasized that the simultaneous use of these appliances during hot summer days puts a significant strain on the national electricity system.

In this context, Baccouche recalled that the national energy strategy aims to reduce carbon intensity by 45% by 2030 and increase the share of renewable energies in the electricity mix to 35% by the same deadline.

He also highlighted several national programs aimed at improving energy efficiency, including a project to replace 4 million conventional light bulbs with LED bulbs, as well as the "Ecological Mosque" program. Additionally, there are projects to equip public institutions with solar energy and modernize their electrical and air conditioning installations to rationalize energy consumption and reduce electricity bills.

Key Statistics:

  • 2.7 million air conditioners in use in Tunisia
  • Over 50% of households own an air conditioner
  • Residential air conditioning units account for nearly 50% of peak summer electricity consumption
  • Peak summer electricity consumption reached 4.8 GW in July 2024

National Energy Strategy:

  • Reduce carbon intensity by 45% by 2030
  • Increase the share of renewable energies in the electricity mix to 35% by 2030
BNB Tunisie