Tunisia's Industrial Sector Faces Power Outages
Since mid-July, the daily life of Tunisian businesses has been marked by scheduled power outages organized by the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG). The goal is to reduce pressure on an electrical network that is unable to meet the needs of industrial companies and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The power cuts affect the entire national territory, and no one is spared.
Cause of Power Outages
According to STEG's CEO, Fayçal Trifa, this situation is due to a surge in electricity demand caused by the intensive use of air conditioning systems during peak temperature periods. The idea is to avoid a generalized blackout and maintain minimal activity during these periods.
Significant Financial Losses
Despite their occasional nature, the power outages have been very constraining for Tunisian SMEs and industrial companies. The president of the Union of Small and Medium-sized Industries, Wissam Ben Amor, expressed himself on Friday, July 17, 2026, citing the significant losses recorded by several companies. Some were even forced to temporarily interrupt their activities. The shutdown of production chains and the interruption of machine operation have generated losses of working hours without production, along with the degradation of raw materials and semi-finished products.
Available Options
Faced with this situation and the lack of prospects from STEG, Tunisian industrial companies and SMEs must implement their own solutions to limit the damage. The quickest solution is the use of a generator with an automatic inverter without human intervention. It can be coupled with an inverter to protect sensitive equipment such as servers and computer workstations. The idea is also to anticipate the power surges that often accompany the resumption of the power supply and damage installations.
Alternative Solutions
Another solution is the installation of photovoltaic panels under the PROSOL Industry program of the National Agency for Energy Management (ANME). Industrial companies can thus produce part of their electricity on-site with a bidirectional STEG meter. Financing is available for this option, and the return on investment is generally between 6 and 12 years.
Battery Storage: The Ultimate Solution
The ultimate and perhaps most effective solution is battery storage using a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The goal of this system is to use the surplus of solar energy accumulated during the day during power outage periods. However, this alternative is not yet accessible to Tunisian industrial companies, as its regulatory framework has not been finalized. The Professional Group of Renewable Energies (GPER), affiliated with the CONECT, has recently pressured the ANME and STEG to finalize this regulation and make this innovation accessible to both industrial companies and individuals.
