The Tunisian Order of Engineers on Tuesday called for the adoption of a national electrical safety plan for the period 2027-2030, based on clear governance and on a permanent coordination mechanism among gas, electricity, renewable energy, networks and financing.
During a roundtable devoted to the “Tunisia’s 2027-2035 energy roadmap”, the Order stated that ensuring energy security requires moving from addressing conjunctural crises to forward planning. It advocates for an integrated setup ensuring the continuity of electricity supply and strengthening the country’s ability to cope with demand peaks.
It exhorts decision-makers to commission an independent audit of the actual guaranteed capacity of each production unit and to launch an emergency program to recover the lost megawatts. It also calls for securing gas supplies during peak periods and accelerating the implementation of renewable energy projects, while strengthening the electrical grid.
The Order also proposes a national battery program and another for peak-demand management, as well as a national dashboard equipped with an indicator to monitor the margin of electrical safety. Each project should also have a contingency plan in case of delays.
Incentive-based pricing and pre-announced outages
Regarding the role of citizens, the Order believes that controlling consumption during peak hours, especially air conditioners, can ease pressure on the grid. It nonetheless considers that awareness campaigns alone are not enough and calls for pricing that encourages consumption outside peak hours, as well as stricter efficiency standards for electrical equipment.
Solar self-production and the use of energy-efficient lamps and appliances count, according to him, among the quickest ways to relieve the grid. If necessary, rotating outages should be scheduled, announced in advance, and distributed equitably among regions, while sparing vital facilities as much as possible.
The dean of the Order, Mohsen Gharsi, emphasized the need to learn lessons from the summer of 2026 and to prepare now for the summer of 2027, through practical and realistic proposals, within the limits of the resources of national companies and without encroaching on the role of other institutions. He said these proposals and technical solutions had been submitted to the executive and legislative authorities to take action, save time, and avoid the severe consequences that would result from a repetition of supply difficulties next summer.
He also noted that the shortage of national cadres and expertise, particularly within the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company, constitutes one of the current challenges, against a backdrop of skilled personnel leaving abroad. This situation, according to him, ranks among the factors that contributed to difficulties in managing public enterprises.
