Morocco prequalifies firms for 3GW power link

18 November 2024

Morocco’s Office National de L’Electricite et de L’Eau Potable (Onee) has prequalified companies that can bid for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package of a project to develop a 3,000MW electricity transmission network in the North African state.

According to a local media report the following companies have been shortlisted to bid for the project's EPC package:

  • GE Vernova (US)
  • Siemens Energy (Germany)
  • PowerChina / Sepco (China)
  • TBEA (China)
  • Larsen & Toubro (India)

MEED has sought comments from some of the above companies.

MEED understands that the EPC contract also includes a long-term service agreement (LTSA) for maintenance.

Previously. another local media report cited that the project is "being offered under two implementation structures – a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) scheme and a turnkey EPC scheme".

MEED reported in March that Onee invited companies to bid for the interconnection project, which was being developed on a 30-year, public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

Onee expected to receive bids for the contract by 16 May. It is unclear if Onee has received bids or extended the tender closing date for the project.

A source familiar with the proposed PPP plan declined to comment.

The project will include installing a high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) and high-voltage, alternating current (HVAC) network.

The planned HVAC network will be 400 kilovolts (kV) or 800kV, while the HVDC network will have a voltage level of 525kV.

The 1,500MW first phase of the project, connecting southern to central Morocco, is expected to reach commercial operation by 2026. The second phase, connecting the central region to the northern part of the country, is set to become operational in 2028.

Morocco has a power generation installed capacity of over 10,000MW, with renewable energy, including hydropower, accounting for over 33% of the total.

It expects renewable energy sources to account for 52% of its total installed capacity by 2030.

Several green hydrogen projects are in the early development stage in the country, which could significantly increase electricity demand.

There are also plans for the country to export electricity to Europe. 

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Jennifer Aguinaldo
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