A 10 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant named Tozeur 2 has started operations in Tozeur, a governorate in southwest Tunisia.
The plant, built at a cost of 25 million dinars ($8.4m) will consolidate the production of the first plant Tozeur 1, to reach a total capacity of 20 megawatts.
The two plants will supply one third of the governorate’s electricity needs, equivalent to the consumption of about 18,000 families, Tunisian media reports said.
Financed by the German Development Bank, these plants were implemented by the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG).
Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Neila Gongi Nouira said the plant will operate at full capacity by the end of 2023, therefore contributing to the reduction of the consumption bill of citizens, in addition to creating jobs.
She also spoke about projects that will be set up within the framework of the programs of the National Agency for Energy Management (ANME) with German funding to promote the country’s energy transition, according to the reports.
These include the installation of solar panels in most public facilities, such as hospitals and mosques, as well as in the tourism sector, she said.
She added that the Ministry of Industry is working to generalize this pilot experience in other regions, especially since this type of project promotes the development of the industrial fabric related to solar equipment and materials and the creation of jobs.