“We are determined to exit coal by 2027,” declared Loïc Jaegert-Huber, North Africa director of Engie, on the sidelines of a Franco-Moroccan business forum in Rabat. “We have already received expressions of interest from potential buyers” for the SAFIEC plant, he added, without revealing their identity.
The Safi power plant, with a capacity of 1,386 MW, is currently operated by a consortium composed of Engie (33%), Nareva Holding (35%) and Mitsui & Co. (32%). If Engie’s partners are considering green ammonia as a solution to decarbonize the factory, the French group is resolutely turning towards clean energies.
To read: Morocco: worrying thermal power plants
Engie is not a novice in Morocco when it comes to renewable energies. The group already operates a 300 MW wind farm in Tarfaya, the largest in the country. It is also engaged in the construction of a desalination plant and a wind farm in Dakhla in partnership with Nareva.
“The wind farm will be ready next year and the desalination plant a few months later,” said Mr. Jaegert-Huber. The latter will produce fresh water mainly for irrigation (90%) and drinking water for Dakhla (10%).
In addition to renewable energies, Engie is also interested in energy infrastructure projects in Morocco. The French group is particularly interested in the 3 gigawatt submarine cable which would connect Dakhla to Casablanca.
“France is ready to finance this cable,” French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said at the business forum. The cost of this project is estimated by experts at 3 billion euros.
