Recently, Algeria's state-owned power and gas utility company Sonelgaz issued a tender announcement to bid for the construction of two 100 MW wind farms in the central and northern parts of the country. These two wind farms are located in Tilghemt and Jelefa provinces, respectively, with a much larger installed capacity than the only 10 MW Adrar wind farm currently in the country. From 10 megawatts to 200 megawatts, Algeria's wind power installed capacity is experiencing a leapfrog expansion.

Two wind farms initiate bidding process

Sonelgaz Energies Renouveables, a renewable energy subsidiary of Sonelgaz, is currently procuring these two wind farms. The first one is located in Tilghemt, Lagwatt Province, and the second one is located in Guelfa Province. Both provinces are located in central northern Algeria, south of the capital city Algiers. According to the bidding announcement, the project scope covers engineering design, civil engineering, equipment supply, transportation, installation, training, testing, and commissioning, as well as the infrastructure required to connect the facilities to the transmission network. Enterprises can bid for any section or two sections, and the deadline for bid submission is November 25, 2026. Technical and financial bids will be publicly opened on the same day.

Setting performance thresholds for foreign investment admission

The planned wind power project is open to foreign companies for independent bidding or joint bidding with other foreign companies. The bidding requires bidders to demonstrate their experience in three similar projects, each with at least 80 megawatts, of which at least two must be completed outside the company's home country. For a consortium consisting of an Algerian company and one or more foreign partners, the Algerian company must demonstrate its experience in major industrial or energy projects, or projects implemented for companies under the Sonelgaz Group. This performance threshold provides a clear path for Chinese wind power companies to participate in bidding, and Chinese complete machine manufacturers and EPC companies with overseas wind power project experience have a competitive advantage. Keywords: New Energy News Network, Wind Power, International, Infrastructure

The potential for wind power expansion is considerable

The Algerian power sector still relies mainly on traditional power generation, with natural gas combined cycle power plants accounting for the majority of the country's installed power generation capacity. The construction of the 1.4 gigawatt Tebessa combined cycle power plant will begin in April 2026, and Sonelgaz is also promoting the procurement of the 1.2 gigawatt Djelfa combined cycle power plant. The development of renewable energy is progressing slowly, with four solar energy projects awarded contracts totaling 554 megawatts in 2025. As of July 2026, it is unclear whether these projects have entered the construction phase. The bidding for two 100 MW wind farms marks a substantial step forward for Algeria in the field of wind power. For Chinese wind power companies, the Algerian wind power market is in its infancy, and this bidding is an important window into the North African wind power market.Editor/Gao Xue