The aim of this new call for tenders is to recruit companies capable of producing 70 MWp from several solar photovoltaic plants. Each of the six installations that the Tunisian Ministry of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies wants to build will have a capacity of between 1 and 10 MWp. Interested Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have until 21 March 2020 to come forward.
The selected companies will sign 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG). This call for tenders is part of a vast plan of the Tunisian government aiming at exploiting its potential in terms of renewable energies. Within the framework of this policy, the authorities have already launched four calls for expressions of interest.
The latest to date was launched almost three months ago, with the objective of a production capacity of 60 MWp from several solar power stations. The 3rd call for tenders of the Tunisian solar plan saw the qualification of several IPPs, notably Akuo Energy which has joined forces with HBG Holding and Nour Energy to install a solar farm in Gabès in the south-east of the country. The Tunisian government has also chosen the consortium formed by Hatem Mabrouk and Bot Energy to build a solar power plant in Medenine, again in the south-east of Tunisia.
Tunis is also counting on much larger solar power plants to increase its installed capacity. Thus, it has entrusted the Norwegian company Scatec with the responsibility of building three solar power plants for a total capacity of 360 MWp in Tozeur (60 MWp), Sidi Bouzid (60 MWp) and Tataouine (240 MWp).
Jean Marie Takouleu