The Kairouan plant is designed to generate enough electricity to supply tens of thousands of households while cutting carbon emissions associated with gas-fired generation. Grid connection has been completed in coordination with the national utility, allowing the facility to operate at scale as part of Tunisia’s broader energy mix. The project also represents one of AMEA Power’s most prominent developments in North Africa, reinforcing the company’s strategy of deploying large-scale renewables across emerging markets.
Located in central Tunisia, the project sits in a region with high solar irradiation, making it well suited for photovoltaic generation. Construction involved a network of international and local contractors, with several hundred jobs created during the build phase. AMEA Power has said the operational phase will continue to support skilled employment and technical training, contributing to longer-term capacity building in the local energy sector.
Tunisia has faced persistent challenges in its power sector, including rising demand, ageing infrastructure and fiscal pressure linked to fuel imports. Solar projects of this scale are viewed by policymakers as a way to ease pressure on public finances by reducing dependence on imported gas, while also improving energy security. The Kairouan plant aligns with national targets to raise the share of renewables in electricity generation over the coming decade, with solar expected to play a central role alongside wind.
The commissioning comes as Tunisia steps up efforts to attract private capital into the energy sector. Regulatory reforms over the past few years have aimed to create clearer frameworks for independent power producers, offering long-term power purchase arrangements and improved grid access. While progress has been uneven, large projects reaching completion signal growing confidence among international developers.
AMEA Power, headquartered in the Middle East, has built a portfolio spanning solar, wind and hybrid projects across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The company has increasingly focused on markets where power demand is rising and governments are opening space for private participation. Tunisia’s Kairouan project adds to a list of utility-scale assets that the company has brought online in challenging regulatory and operating environments.
For Tunisia, the project carries symbolic weight beyond its generation capacity. Delays and financing hurdles have slowed several planned renewable schemes in the past, raising concerns about the pace of the energy transition. Bringing a 120 MWp plant to completion demonstrates that large-scale projects can move from contract to commissioning, potentially unlocking momentum for additional developments.
Industry analysts note that solar costs have continued to fall globally, making photovoltaic plants among the most competitive sources of new power generation. In Tunisia, this trend strengthens the case for accelerating solar deployment, particularly in regions with suitable land and strong grid connectivity. Projects such as Kairouan also help diversify generation away from gas, which has been subject to price volatility and supply constraints.
The plant is expected to operate under long-term arrangements that provide predictable revenues, a factor seen as crucial for attracting further private investment. Financing structures for projects of this nature typically involve a mix of equity and long-term debt, often supported by development finance institutions, although specific funding details for Kairouan have not been publicly detailed.
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