Thanks to an investment of 25.3 billion dirhams, the global rural electrification program (PERG) has transformed access to electricity in Moroccan rural areas, benefiting around 13 million Moroccans and increasing the coverage rate from 18% in 1995 to almost 100% today, according to the report from the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE). This project, started in 1996, is not limited to providing electricity: it has also contributed to boosting the rural economy, modernizing infrastructure, and reducing inequalities between urban and rural areas.
By the end of 2023, the rural electrification rate reached 99.88%, with 198 new villages connected that year, providing electricity to more than 4,569 additional households. Since the launch of PERG, nearly 41,847 villages have been connected to the network, significantly improving living conditions and promoting the development of income-generating activities. In addition to connection to the network, the initiative has equipped more than 70,000 isolated homes with photovoltaic kits, including 51,559 between 1998 and 2009 and 19,438 between 2015 and 2018 as part of the INDH. To support this deployment, PERG has enabled the construction of more than 51,000 km of medium voltage lines, 136,600 km of low voltage lines, and more than 25,700 transformer stations, reaching a power of 2,000 MVA.
Economic effects and modernization of rural infrastructure
PERG has also had notable effects on rural socio-economic development. It supported the creation and modernization of local activities, with more than 2,500 new motive power customers connected in 2023, such as pumping for irrigation (30.19%), drinking water (27.45% ), small industries (11.50%), as well as mills, oil mills, cooperatives and other agricultural units (7.70%). Between 2008 and 2023, around 46,000 customers have joined the network.
Furthermore, ONEE has connected approximately 5,110 schools, 2,521 mosques, and 412 dispensaries since 2012, in order to support development efforts in various sectors and guarantee equitable access to essential services for rural areas.
Significant international support
This program benefited from the support of several international partners, including the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, who contributed more than half of the overall financing through loans and donations. These initiatives illustrate Morocco’s commitment to sustainable development and the reduction of regional disparities, by providing rural areas with fundamental infrastructure for a more equitable and resilient future.
