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CET by Mariyana Yaneva
Moroccan electricity and water utility company ONEE will launch a call for pre-qualification bids for a 200 MW solar power project by the end of January 2016, Moroccan daily Le Matin reported on Tuesday citing informed sources.
According to the daily, ONEE will step up the development of its solar programme by opening the tender procedures for Noor Atlas — a 200-MW solar power complex comprising eight photovoltaic (PV) plants of 10 MW to 30 MW each in the southern part of the country.
ONEE has already acquired the land rights of the eight sites and has launched feasibility studies. Three of the solar farms will be sited to the south in Tata, Tahla (Bouizakarne) and Tan Tan. The remaining five will be located to the east in Outat El Haj, Ain Beni Mathar, Boudnib, Bouananet and Boulmane (Enjil).
The implementation of Noor Atlas will be financially backed by German KfW, the European Investment bank (EIB) as well as by the European Commission.
All projects under the Atlas cap are scheduled to start producing power in 2017.
The solar power development programme of ONEE calls for the development of 400 MW in three phases by 2018.
The first one, Noor Tafilalet, will consist of three to four solar power plants of 10MW to 30MW each, sited near the towns of Zagora, Erfoud and Missour in the southeastern part of the country. ONEE has already opened the bids under the call for pre-qualification in September.
Noor Atlas is the second phase and the third phase will have two to four PV plants with a combined capacity of 100 MW-125 MW.
Mariyana is a founding member of the SeeNews Renewables team. With eight years of professional experience in renewable energy she has built strong expertise in the wind industry and Eastern Europe markets.
