The independent French power producer Voltalia announced on January 29th that it has been awarded the Waddians solar project by Tunisian authorities, located in the southeast of the country.
With a capacity of 132 megawatts, this future power plant, situated near the Menzel Habib site, significantly strengthens the group’s presence in Tunisia.
With this new project, the total capacity of Voltalia’s installations scheduled to enter the construction phase in the country now reaches nearly 400 megawatts.
According to the group’s press release, the geographical proximity between the Wadi, Menzel Habib, and Sagoud projects should allow for cost optimization, particularly in construction, equipment transport, and maintenance, thanks to operational synergies.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with commissioning in 2028. Ultimately, the power plant is expected to produce an amount of electricity equivalent to the consumption of approximately 200,000 inhabitants and contribute to avoiding nearly 120,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year.
This project aims to support Tunisia’s energy strategy, which aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 30% of electricity production by 2030, compared to about 6% at the end of April 2025.
The French group won its first solar project in the country in May 2024, when it was selected to develop the Sagoud site in the Gafsa region.
This project, with a capacity of 130 megawatts, is expected to produce enough energy to cover the annual consumption of over 700,000 inhabitants, with construction work planned for 2025 and commissioning expected in 2026.
A few months later, in December 2024, Voltalia confirmed its ability to establish a lasting presence by winning a second major project in Menzel Habib, in the governorate of Gabès.
With a capacity of 139 megawatts, this solar power plant is designed to generate the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of over 620,000 inhabitants while avoiding the emission of approximately 360,000 tons of CO₂ per year.
Construction is scheduled for late 2025, with commissioning expected in 2027, under a 25-year power purchase agreement.
According to the group, the geographical proximity between the Sagdoud and Menzel Habib projects, located about 125 kilometers apart, provides Voltalia with a significant operational advantage.
This setup allows for the sharing of certain costs related to construction, transportation, and maintenance.
