The Tunisian government is accelerating the development of electricity storage to strengthen the security of power supplies, prevent power outages, and promote the integration of renewable energy sources into the national grid. The Société tunisienne de l'électricité et du gaz (Steg) has launched an international call for tenders to build ten battery-based storage systems with a total power of 300 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 600 megawatt-hours (MWh).
The project, known as "Battery Energy Storage Systems" (Bess), involves the design, supply of equipment, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of the installations. The investment aims to increase the flexibility of the Tunisian electricity system by storing energy available during periods of low consumption or high production, and then reinjecting it into the grid during peak demand periods. The call for tenders, referenced as 2026 E 4017, provides for the interventions to be divided into three geographical lots.
In the North, four installations are planned in Ben Arous, Gaâfour, Mateur, and Kchabta, with a total capacity of 105 MW and 210 MWh. In the Centre, the sites concerned are Msaken, Ksour Essef, and Bir Lahfey, with 90 MW and 180 MWh. In the South, installations will be built in Gabès Sud, Médenine, and Midoun-Djerba, with an additional capacity of 105 MW and 210 MWh. Each system will be designed to deliver its nominal power for approximately two hours.
The batteries will also be able to absorb part of the electricity produced by photovoltaic installations during periods of high sunshine, making it available in the evening. The call for tenders, published in September, now provides for the submission of offers by November 11 at 9:30 am, following an extension of the initial deadline set for October 29. The opening of the technical and financial offers is scheduled for the same day at 10:00 am at the Steg headquarters in Tunis.
The Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Salah Zouari, stated on November 3 before the competent parliamentary committees that the objective is to install a first tranche of batteries with a capacity of 150 MW before summer 2027, with progressive commissioning, in order to subsequently reach a total power of at least 300 MW. This initiative is part of the government program aimed at responding to growing electricity needs and reducing the risk of new programmed power outages.
Tunisia continues to rely on electricity imports from Algeria to compensate for the imbalance between national production and demand. The Tunisian government has made the development of storage capacities a priority in its energy strategy, which also provides for the reinforcement of existing power plants and an increase in production from renewable sources, with the aim of reaching 35% of green electricity by 2030.
The batteries will not produce new energy but will allow for a more efficient use of the energy already available, making storage a strategic lever to ensure the continuity of the electrical service and promote the country's energy transition. The project will enable Tunisia to improve the stability and reliability of its electricity supply, reducing the risk of power outages and supporting the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
Key points
- The Tunisian government aims to install a first tranche of batteries with a capacity of 150 MW before summer 2027.
- The project involves the development of ten battery-based storage systems with a total power of 300 MW and a storage capacity of 600 MWh.
- The initiative is part of the government program aimed at responding to growing electricity needs and reducing the risk of new programmed power outages.
