Construction on the landmark Medlink electricity interconnection, a €7 billion ($8.2 billion) project to link the power grids of Algeria, Tunisia, and Italy, is scheduled to commence in 2027, according to a report in the Algerian daily Elkhabar.
The project, which aims to transport vast amounts of solar and wind energy from North Africa to Europe, has completed its engineering design phase and is preparing to begin the permitting process, the report stated.
Spearheaded by the clean energy developer Zhero and backed by the three involved governments, the ambitious plan involves building 10 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable energy capacity—split evenly between Algeria and Tunisia—supported by battery storage. The goal is to eventually generate 30 TWh of electricity annually for both local consumption and export.
The initiative received a significant boost this month when it was included in the European Commission’s list of cross-border renewable energy projects. This designation makes Medlink eligible for substantial funding under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program. The EU has previously demonstrated its support for such projects with a €307.6 million grant for the smaller, 600 MW ELMED interconnector between Tunisia and Italy, which is slated for operation in 2028.
According to a September 1, 2025, statement from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, the Medlink interconnector will export up to 22.8 TWh of clean electricity per year to Italy. This will be achieved via two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cables running across the Mediterranean Sea, each with a capacity of 2 GW.
The technical feasibility of the project is being led by the Italian engineering consultancy CESI, which is responsible for designing the transmission systems in Algeria and Tunisia, mapping the submarine cable routes, and planning the grid integration in Italy.
The project has also attracted major industry interest. In August 2023, a consortium including energy giants TotalEnergies, Baker Hughes, Technip Energies, and investment firm Azimut signed a preliminary agreement to invest in Zhero, backing its mission to develop large-scale renewable energy projects across Europe and Africa.
Once completed, Medlink will significantly enhance Italy’s role as a European energy hub, adding to its existing electricity connections with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Montenegro, Greece, and Malta.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
