Tunisia issues call for 300MW/150MW solar-plus-storage project

The Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy has issued a call for proposals for a 300MW solar photovoltaic project paired with a 150MW/540MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to be developed near Bazma in southern Tunisia. The site has 440 hectares set aside for the development, and the ministry has set a clear deadline for submissions: 14 October 2026 at noon local time.

"The deadline for bids on the project is 14 October 2026 at noon local time."

Project details and procurement timeline

The tender seeks developers for a combined solar-plus-storage facility described in the ministry notice as 300MW of solar PV capacity alongside a 150MW BESS with 540MWh of energy storage. The allocation of 440 hectares near Bazma is expected to accommodate the generation and storage assets as well as associated grid infrastructure.

• Capacity: 300MW solar PV + 150MW / 540MWh BESS
• Location: near Bazma, south Tunisia
• Site area: 440 hectares
• Bid deadline: 14 October 2026 at noon local time

Context: an expanding renewables pipeline

The call follows several government moves to expand renewable capacity. In late 2024 the ministry issued a tender for 500MW of solar capacity, and in December 2025 it approved procurement plans for 2GW of wind power and 350MW of solar PV capacity in 2026. The national utility, Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité et du Gaz (STEG), has also been active in contracting generation from independent developers.

Notable power purchase contracts include two PPAs between STEG and Norwegian developer Scatec for two 120MW PV plants in Tataouine and Sidi Bouzid. The article notes a 120MW site from AMEA Power "which came online in December," and that a number of projects being developed by French renewables developer Voltalia exceed 130MW each, surpassing earlier projects in scale.

Trade flows have also shifted: data from the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) cited in the ministry notice indicate that shipments of Chinese solar products to Tunisia increased significantly in 2025, pushing Tunisia into the top five African countries by volume of Chinese imports that year.

Outlook

The Bazma tender adds a sizeable integrated storage component to Tunisia’s renewables pipeline and signals continued momentum in utility-scale procurement. The combination of 300MW of PV and 540MWh of storage addresses growing interest in pairing generation with dispatchable capacity. With a firm bid deadline of 14 October 2026, developers and investors will have a defined window to prepare proposals for what could become one of the largest solar-plus-storage projects in the country.