The Moroccan water and electricity utility (ONEE) has revealed plans of constructing the Morocco’s 990MW Gas Power Plant. This facility is budgeted to be constructed at a cost of 4.15 billion ($420 million). This information was revealed by the bourse regulator AMMC.
Currently, Morocco possesses three gas-fired power plants. These are the Ain Beni Mathar Centrale Thermosolaire (CCGT) with a capacity of 472MW, Al Wahda Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 800MW, and lastly Centrale a cycle combine de Tahaddart with a capacity of 394MW.
ONEE is expected to finance 20% of the project. The remaining 80% will be provided in form of loans by the largest lender in Morocco Attijariwafa Bank and the Bank of Africa. This will be in addition to funding by two securitization funds FT Nord Energy and FT Flexenergy. This was information was revealed by two recently published documents.
This gas-fired power plant will comprise of two open-cycle gas turbines. Furthermore, it will use diesel as an emergency fuel.
Location of Morocco’s 990MW Gas Power Plant
This facility will be constructed in Northern Morocco on the Alwahda site which is near a pipeline that Morocco has been using since the year 2023 for the importation of gas from the Spanish terminals.
Morocco is delving into gas so as to diversify its energy mix. Additionally, the country is also pushing ahead with its renewable energy plan which aims to reach 52% of the total installed capacity. Currently, the installed capacity stands at 45%.
Furthermore, Morocco has set plans of constructing a natural gas terminal in the northeastern port of Nador West Med. This terminal will be connected to the same pipeline.
Also read: Morocco’s Gotion EV Gigafactory $800 Million Wind Power Project
Morocco’s Large-Scale Hydrogen Project: An $11 Billion Project Endeavor