A severe heatwave is hitting Tunisia these days, with temperatures reaching 50°C, while residents experience frequent power cuts, fueling growing anger and concern in homes and among business owners. For about a week, the state-owned Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas has been publishing daily a 'power cut notice due to heatwave,' listing a long list of affected areas, aiming to reduce pressure on a network already suffering from high energy demand. This solution is called 'rolling blackouts,' a term that has become familiar to Tunisians.

The Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas publishes daily a 'power cut notice' (AFP)

* Excessive electricity consumption

According to statements by the company's general director, Faisal Trifia, to local media, demand for electricity has risen markedly under the influence of 'excessive use of air conditioners' in homes. Another government official from the company told state television that national consumption may have reached a record 6,000 megawatts last Tuesday, after an initial peak of 5,600 megawatts last week.

'Summer outages,' which include electricity and drinking water supply, have become familiar to Tunisians in recent years, especially in inland areas. But this summer they were exceptional, affecting most regions from north to south, with power cuts lasting for hours, according to testimonies posted on social media.

Tunisian women forced to fetch water from distant places due to continuous cuts (AFP)

A worker at a pastry shop in Tunis told AFP: 'It seems the gates of hell have opened,' as displayed cakes almost melted due to heat and cooling failure. On the street and on social networks, the issue of cuts dominates many discussions among citizens. Some avoid using elevators for fear of getting stuck. On Saturday, Tunisian President Kais Saied described the frequency of power cuts as 'abnormal,' stressing the need to 'take responsibility and find solutions.'

* 'Dilapidated network'

The Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas stresses that rolling blackouts prevent a total blackout that could plunge the country into darkness. In this regard, Hala El Tleili, professor of economics at the University of Tunis El Manar and researcher in renewable energy, believes that Tunisia 'is facing record demand for electricity amid the tourist season, while the network cannot cope adequately.' She told AFP that 'consumption is increasing much faster than production.' It is noteworthy that Tunisia relies heavily on imported natural gas to generate electricity, while domestic production declines, and imports burden the budget of the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas.

A severe heatwave is hitting Tunisia these days, with temperatures reaching 50°C (AFP)

El Tleili also points to a dilapidated network and lack of maintenance. This situation is likely to worsen with heatwaves, which have become more intense and frequent in recent years.

Power cuts have economic consequences. The Tunisian Confederation of Citizen Enterprises expressed regret over the lack of precision in announcing cut times, 'which prevents enterprises from scheduling their activities and taking preventive measures. For example, at a factory in the southern suburbs of Tunis, work stopped for almost two days,' according to testimony from an employee who requested anonymity. Meanwhile, shopkeepers and butchers raise their voices fearing spoilage of their stocks.

* Energy storage

El Tleili believes it is necessary to accelerate the development of renewable energy sources, highlighting that Tunisia 'has very strong potential in solar energy and promising potential in wind energy.' But 'the real challenge is storage,' especially using batteries to reinject surplus solar energy produced during the day into the grid at night. Meanwhile, many Tunisians express their dissatisfaction with these difficult climatic conditions.

A truck delivering drinking water to residents in remote areas (AFP)

Mariam, a pseudonym for a woman living in a working-class neighborhood in the northern suburbs of Tunis, says: 'I sleep on the floor to feel some coolness,' and advised her son to sleep hugging a bottle of ice water wrapped in a towel.

Concern is also growing for prisoners, as Tunisian prisons are not equipped for such weather. On Tuesday, renowned cardiologist Dhaker El Aidhib called on his Facebook page for President Kais Saied to issue a pardon 'for climatic reasons' for prisoners who have not committed murder or rape, those with chronic diseases, and whose release does not pose a danger to society.