Secretary of State to Energy Transition, Wael Chouchane inaugurated, on Monday afternoon, the first photovoltaic solar power plant in Djerba and in Tunisia's southeast.

Located in the Ajim delegation, this 1-megawatt plant will provide electricity to 500 households and will help fight against greenhouse gas emissions, said project manager, Jamil Maamer.

Costing a-3 million-dinar investment, this station, which covers an area of 1.5 hectares, is made up of nearly 2,000 solar panels with a capacity of 510 watts, according to a statement by the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy.

Maamer pointed out that the sale price of electricity by STEG will be set at 200 millimes while the cost of producing electricity from natural gas reaches 300 millimes.

During a workshop on this project, STEG Director General, Belhassen Chiboub told journalists that this project is part of the national strategy launched to develop electricity production from renewable energy aimed at reducing the energy deficit which has reached 50% in our country, improving energy independence and achieving of the objective of producing 35% of electricity from renewable energy by 2035, which requires nearly 5,000 megawatts.

To achieve these objectives, major electricity production projects must be carried out, the same source said.

Chiboub indicated that the calls for tenders relating to new projects currently concern 1,700 megawatts including a project covering 500 megawatts, another of 100 megawatts in Metbasta and two projects of 50 megawatts in Tozeur and Sidi Bouzid currently being finalized.