Tunisia experienced its first peak in electricity consumption of the summer on Saturday afternoon, around 3:38 p.m. (4,363 megawatts), due to the simultaneous use of air conditioners, Director of Cooperation and Communications at the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (French: STEG) Mounir Ghabri told TAP on Sunday. A heatwave has hit Tunisia over the past three days, with temperatures exceeding seasonal averages by over 10 degrees. «This pushed most Tunisian citizens to use simultaneously air conditioning units, which has put a strain on the power grid,» Ghabri added. He denied rumours shared on social media about a power cut in the city of Tunis, ensuring that the situation "is normal and under control." "However, electrical disturbances were recorded in some places, particularly in Bizerte and Metaloui (governorate of Gafsa)," he pointed out. The manager stressed that STEG's technical teams are mobilised to intervene if necessary during this exceptional climatic situation. He called on Tunisians to rationalise their electricity consumption and to favour the use of household appliances, outside peak hours (from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). He also recommended regulating the level of air conditioning at 26°C. In September 2022, Tunisia reported a record peak in electricity consumption (4,677 megawatts), due to the use of air conditioning devices.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse