Morocco to float tenders for more solar plants by Q4

04 Aug 2013

(MENAFN) Morocco unveiled plans to float tenders for the construction of two concentrated solar power plants by the beginning of the fourth quarter, Reuters reported.

The North African country wants to build one solar plant with 200 megawatts (MW) power output capacity and another with 100 MW capacity, near the southern city of Ouarzazate, according to Morocco’s Solar Energy Agency (Masen).

Masen said that a consortia led by Spain’s Abengoa, GDF’s International Power and Saudi Acwa Power had been pre-selected for the 200 MW (Noor II) tender.

The three groups are also pre-qualified for the 100 MW tender, with another consortium led by France’s EDF.

Acwa Power is already building a 160 MW plant in the Ouarzazate area under a government initiative to produce 2 gigawatts of solar power by 2020, which is equivalent to about 38 percent of Morocco’s current installed generation capacity.

Masen also identified the parabolic mirror technology for the 200 MW concentrated solar plant, while the 100 MW plant will also be built as a solar power tower.

State power utility ONEE has also agreed with international lenders to build around 10 solar photovoltaic plants around the country to generate 30 MW each to help stabilize its electricity network as it faces growing demand.

Earlier this months, Chinese firm Sepco III signed a contract to build a 318 MW coal-fired plant in Morocco, which is seeking to diversify production and export electricity to energy-hungry Europe.

Morocco is spending heavily to subsidise power production. It currently imports power from Spain as its consumption grows by around 7 percent year.