L’European Union agreed to finance an underwater electrical interconnection project, in order to diversify Tunisia’s energy sources. Brussels will provide 307.6 million euros.
This is a press release from the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published yesterday Thursday, December 08 which announces the information. L’European Union approved financial support of 307.6 million euros for the project commonly known as ELmed, an undersea electrical interconnection link between Tunisia and Italy. It will be 195 km long and have a capacity of 600 MW.
The idea of this project goes back to 2003, and since then, Rome and Tunis were in permanent negotiation on its methods of financing. The objective is to meet the growing demand for energy, particularly in Tunisia, and to diversify the sources of energy supply.
For the Tunisian government, “this step is the culmination of tireless efforts and a course of negotiations with different partners, with the contribution of all the national structures concerned”. The project will allow Tunisia, according to the same source, to meet energy needs, strengthen security and energy transition.
World Bank data revealed that Tunisia’s annual electricity demand is growing by an average of 2.2%, amid domestic resource scarcity and growing dependence on the production of imported energy sources.