The United States of America and the Republic of Tunisia Celebrate the Commissioning of Innovative U.S. Technological Solutions within the Electricity Distribution Network in Moknine - U.S. Embassy in Tunisia

Bill Bazzi, Ambassador of the United States of America to Tunisia, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas, Mr. Faycel Tarifa, chaired the ceremony of t

In Sousse on March 27, 2026, U.S. and Tunisian officials commissioned a suite of American technological solutions within the electricity distribution network in Moknine, marking a key milestone in a U.S.-funded Smart Grid pilot. The equipment and systems commissioned during the ceremony are valued at 5 million dinars and form part of a broader 15-million dinar Smart Grid project funded by the U.S. government. The event was chaired by Governor of Sousse Mr. Sofiene Tanfouri, U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia His Excellency Mr. Bill Bazzi, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG), Mr. Faycel Tarifa.

Direct quote

Ambassador Bill Bazzi said, “This milestone reflects the impact of American technology as we partner with Tunisia to modernize critical infrastructure, foster mutual economic growth, and create new business opportunities for U.S. companies in Tunisian markets.” Mr. Faycel Tarifa added, “This project is fully aligned with STEG’s strategic vision to modernize the national electricity network and support Tunisia’s energy transition through the deployment of Smart Grid technologies.”

Context and project details

The initiative, implemented over the period 2020–2026, combined technical studies, skills transfer, professional development, and the deployment of U.S. state-of-the-art technologies to strengthen distribution network resilience. Central to the rollout is a Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) system deployed in the Moknine region to enable rapid and optimal service restoration following outages.

  • Project funding: 15 million dinars from the U.S. government, with 5 million dinars’ worth of technologies commissioned at the Moknine site.
  • Technology partners: STEG implemented the solution in partnership with U.S. firms E3-International, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), and G&W Electric.
  • Communications infrastructure: A private LTE (pLTE) network provided by Nokia supports real-time monitoring and optimized network operations management.
  • Scope of work: Studies, workforce training, skills transfer and the deployment of Smart Grid equipment across the distribution network.

STEG highlighted that the project supports Tunisia’s energy transition goals by integrating advanced grid-management technologies to improve service quality and operational performance. The U.S. Embassy framed the pilot as expanding trade and opening economic opportunities for both the United States and Tunisia, underscoring the strategic collaboration between the two countries on critical infrastructure modernization.

Outlook

Officials at the ceremony signaled that the commissioning in Moknine is a first tangible phase within the six-year program and a platform for further modernization across Tunisia’s national grid. STEG reaffirmed its commitment to continue integrating advanced technological solutions to optimize operations and support energy efficiency. For U.S. technology providers — cited by name at the event — the pilot represents a commercial foothold in Tunisian energy markets and a testbed for Smart Grid deployments across the region.