Morocco extends Noor Midelt 2 and 3 bid deadline

20 November 2024

 

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen) has extended the tender closing dates for the Noor Midelt 2 and Noor Midelt 3 solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (bess) projects.

The Noor Midelt 2 solar independent power project (IPP) consists of a 400MW solar PV power plant with battery storage of two hours.

It replaces a previous scheme that was expected to include thermal concentrated solar power and PV solar components, similar to Noor Midelt 1, which was previously awarded to a consortium of EDF and Masdar.

The Noor Midelt 3 IPP scheme is expected to have a solar PV capacity of up to 400MW and a bess capacity not exceeding 400 megawatt-hours (MWh).     

The client has moved the last day for bid submissions from 29 November to 12 December, according to a source close to the projects.

Masen prequalified the following firms that can bid for the Noor Midelt 2 solar IPP in July last year: 

  • Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)
  • Cobra Servicios, Communicaciones y Energia / Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios (Spain)
  • EDF Renouvelables (France) / Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar, UAE)
  • Enel Green Power (Italy) / Taqa Morocco (local)
  • Iberdrola Renovables (Spain) / Dongfang Electric (China) / Gaia Project (local)
  • International Power (Belgium) / Nareva (local)

In December 2023, Masen prequalified eight groups to bid for the Noor Midelt 3 solar IPP contract. These were:

  • Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) (UAE) / Taqa Morocco (local)
  • Acciona (Spain) / Green of Africa (local)
  • Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia) / Nareva Holding (local)
  • Cobra (Spain) / Vinci Concessions (France)
  • EDF Renouvelables (France) / Mitsui & Co (Japan)  
  • Iberdrola (Spain)
  • Kahrabel (UAE) / GDF International (France)
  • SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development (China) / Amea Power (UAE)

The Noor Midelt 2 and 3 IPP projects will be implemented according to a 30-year power-purchase agreement between Masen as the offtaker and the project company that will be formed for the scheme. 

In the case of participation by any international finance institutions, such as Germany’s KFW or the European Investment Bank, those banks’ procurement rules will be applied to the project, according to Masen.

The solar and bess plants are expected to be built on a dedicated and available site that Masen will provide under a land lease or equivalent agreement.

This suggests that common infrastructure such as the water supply, roads and telecommunications services will be shared, and will be constructed “to ensure overall consistency of the solar complex and optimise benefits from a simultaneous development of the infrastructure”.   

US/India-based Synergy Consulting is the client's financial adviser for the projects.

Clean energy target

Morocco has set a target for 52% of its energy to be produced from clean energy sources by 2030, one of the most ambitious targets in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Morocco aims to increase its renewable capacity to 10,000MW by 2030. Solar PV capacity is expected to comprise 4,500MW, with wind and hydroelectric comprising 4,200MW and 1,300MW, respectively.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo
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