While the heat wave has permanently installed on the territory, the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Society (STEG) relaunched, on July 12, its usual call for energy moderation. Like every summer, the public company invites citizens to limit their electricity consumption during so -called “peak” hours, especially between 11 am and 4 pm, in order to avoid overload of the national network.
Recurring instructions, but not very evaluated
In a publication broadcast on its Facebook page, the STEG advises to postpone the use of energy-consuming devices such as the oven, the washing machine, the hair dryer or the iron after 4 p.m. This simple gesture, according to the institution, aims to “protect itself and protect the country” in a context where the demand for electricity explodes.
This type of communication is nothing new. For several years, the STEG has been repeating the same recommendations when approaching or in summer, often following record peaks. In July 2023, a historic threshold of 4,825 MW had been crossed, and the trend was maintained in 2024. This year again, a peak of 4363 MW was recorded on July 5, according to the latest press releases.
Structurally high consumption in summer
With the generalization of air conditioning in Tunisian homes, summer demand becomes structurally stronger, and sometimes difficult to compress. The hourly slice 11h–16h, corresponding to the peak of heat and domestic activity, has been identified for years as the critical zone for the network.
But if the recall is well established, its concrete efficiency remains uncertain. The STEG does not publish any specific indicator to measure the evolution of the load curve after the dissemination of its messages. The company also does not have an incentive mechanism – like a differentiated rate depending on the hours of consumption – which would strengthen the impact of its campaigns.
A strategy above all educational
These calls for vigilance, however, have an obvious educational function: they establish a form of collective consciousness around the vulnerability of the national energy system. They also underline the absence of rapid alternatives in a context marked by the slow investment in renewable energies, the aging of infrastructure, and increasing pressure on production resources.
In the absence of an immediate structural solution, the STEG therefore bets on the progressive empowerment of users. It remains to be seen whether this bet will be enough to alleviate the recurring tensions that weigh, every summer a little more, on the energy balance of the country.
