Chinese companies have initiated the construction of a 100-megawatt photovoltaic power station in central Tunisia’s Kairouan Province, marking the commencement of the largest photovoltaic power plant currently under development in Tunisia.
The launch of this project signifies a significant advancement for Tunisia in its pursuit of energy diversification and the realization of its energy transformation strategy, stated Wael Chouchane, the secretary of state to the Tunisian minister of industry, mines, and energy, who is responsible for overseeing the energy transition, in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.
Chouchane emphasized the pivotal role of China in the global renewable energy sector, expressing confidence in the capacity of Chinese companies to successfully execute the project. He highlighted the potential for Tunisia to leverage cooperation with Chinese firms for talent development and technology transfer.
The consortium tasked with the construction comprises China Energy Engineering Group Tianjin Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd (Energy China TEPC) and Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd (NWEPDI) of China Power Engineering Consulting Group.
Xu Zhiyong, a project director from Energy China TEPC, underscored the project’s potential to contribute to the training of a substantial workforce skilled in the new energy industry in Tunisia.
The power station, with a projected operational lifespan of 25 years, is expected to generate 5.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, according to Wang Wenhai, another director of the project from NWEPDI.