Tunisia remains today deeply dependent on thermal power plants for its electricity production.
Nearly 95 to 97% of the national electricity is generated from natural gas, and to a lesser extent from oil, according to consolidated trends observed over the last decade by energy sector stakeholders, notably STEG and international bodies.
In a context where the share of renewable energy remains limited, around 3 to 5% of electricity production in recent years, the Tunisian electricity system is exposed to a double constraint: dependence on energy imports and the inefficiency of its generation fleet.
An in-depth study conducted on 18 thermal plants between 2005 and 2013 highlights a structural reality rarely debated in public: a significant portion of the energy consumed to generate electricity is lost as dissipated heat, without any useful recovery. This inefficiency is not marginal; it is systemic.
A measurable energy inefficiency
The analysis of plant performances reveals an average efficiency indicator of 0.67 on a scale from 0 to 1. This result means that on average, the Tunisian facilities could produce the same amount of electricity while reducing their fuel consumption by about 33%.
