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Workers build a thermo-solar power plant in Beni Mathar August 20, 2009. A 400 billion euro plan to power Europe with Sahara sunlight is gaining momentum, even as critics see high risks in a large corporate project using young technology in north African countries with weak rule of law. Picture taken August 20, 2009. To match feature ENERGY-MAGHREB/SOLAR REUTERS/Rafael Marchante (MOROCCO ENERGY) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE - RTR2URNB
Morocco is planning to launch its largest solar and wind power project in Western Sahara Desert to supply electricity to Casablanca city through an electricity network stretching nearly 1,400 kilometres, newspapers reported on Tuesday.
The project is based in Dakhla city in the disputed territory and is expected to be launched in January 2025, they said, quoting a statement by the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE).
Sabah Agadir newspaper and other publications quoted the Bureau as saying that the project includes the construction of “huge renewable energy stations” to supply electricity to the Western Casablanca city on the Atlantic Ocean.
Power supplies will be transferred to Morocco’s largest city through high-voltage power lines, which involves the longest electricity transmission and distribution routes in Morocco.
“The project aims to exploit solar energy and strong winds in the Dakhla region, known for its bright sunshine and constant winds…. huge renewable power generation stations will be built in that region to transfer clean energy to Casablanca,” the report said.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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