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The Tunisian government has ratified the concession agreement and the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the UAE-based AMEA Power for a 100-megawatt solar power project in Kairouan.
In December 2019, a consortium formed by AMEA Power and TBEA Xinjiang New Energy Co. was awarded the solar power plant, which forms part of the first round of concession-based solar projects tendered in 2018 by the Ministry of Industry and SMEs.
AMEA Power said in a press statement that the construction of the solar power plant is expected to begin by the end of 2022.
The statement said the project would produce nearly 223,171 MWh of power per year, displacing more than 113,525 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions on an annual basis.
Tunisia has set a target of increasing the share of renewables in its energy mix to 30 percent by 2030, corresponding to an additional installed capacity of approximately 4 gigawatts, under its 2030 New Energy Vision.
On 3 March, a report by Agency Tunis Afrique Press, quoting Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Neila Nouira Gongi, said the government plans to tender 1,500 MW of solar capacity between 2022-2025.
(Writing by SA Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon)