
Tunisia experienced an abrupt power outage on Wednesday, resulting in a nationwide blackout lasting approximately three hours, attributed to technical issues, as reported by the Tunisian electricity and gas company, STEG.
At approximately 1:00 am (0000 GMT), a sudden power disruption occurred at the Rades power plant in the southern suburbs of Tunis, according to a statement from the company. The statement did not provide additional details regarding the cause of the breakdown.
Electricity began to be restored around 4:00 am in various neighborhoods across Tunis. However, social media reports indicated that in certain areas, the blackout persisted for over four hours.
Power cuts across all of Tunisia are rare.
Throughout the summer, authorities had to implement a series of rotating power outages, strategically planned for various regions. This measure was necessitated by an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 45 degrees Celsius (112 degrees Fahrenheit).
The state-owned company provides 99 percent of Tunisia’s electricity, primarily generated from natural gas. In contrast, renewable energy sources, including solar power, make up just 2.5 percent of the total, as per data published in June.
Due to its limited hydrocarbon resources, Tunisia relies heavily on natural gas imports, primarily sourced from Algeria. These imports are facilitated at favorable rates through a gas pipeline that connects Algeria to Italy, traversing Tunisia in the process.
To complete its gas supply, Tunisia also imports gas from its neighbour Libya.