The Tunisian government has unveiled its sectoral investment program for the period 2018-2020 and plans invest around TND12bn (approximately US$5bn) in the domestic energy sector. A special emphasis will be put on renewable energies, which will benefit from 30% of the total (TND4.3bn, approximately US$1.78bn). Five solar PV plants are planned in Medenine, Kebili, Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid et Skhira (Sfax) for a total capacity of 300 MW, while a wind power project will be built in Kebili. All the projects are still in the planning phase.
Besides, these funds will also support the 450 MW Rades-3 CCGT power plant, which is already under construction and is expected to come onstream in 2019, the Skhira project, which includes the construction of two new CCGT power plants with a total installed capacity of 900 MW for TND1bn (US$410m), and the Mornaguia project, which encompasses the construction of two new CCGT units with a total capacity of 600 MW for TND600m (US$249m).
Tunisia will also invest in power transmission and distribution: the energy investment programme includes the construction of a 600 MW subsea power cable linking Tunisia and Italy for a total estimated cost of €600m (US$740m), the construction of two substation, and the Sfax smart grid distribution project, which will be ready for 2022.