X-Links threatens to move Morocco-UK power cable project over bureaucracy
Estimated read time: 2'
X-Links, the company proposing to carry solar and wind-generated electricity from Morocco to the United Kingdom, has warned that if it is not backed by the UK government, it will move the project to another country. The reason behind this frustration is the «time it is taking to get the green light from the Government», the company's chairman told The Telegraph on March 30.
Sir Dave Lewis, who is heading X-Links' plan to power millions of UK homes with affordable solar and wind power from Morocco, warned that prolonged bureaucracy could alter the company's direction. «International investors won't wait forever», he said.
The plan involves transporting solar and wind power via 4,000 km underwater cables at hyper-speed, providing electricity for 9 million UK homes and reducing carbon emissions by 10%. While a new factory in Scotland is being built to produce cables for the project, X-Links is considering expanding to Germany if the UK version continues to face delays.
X-Links seeks UK government rapid backing
Despite being designated a project of national significance, X-Links is still waiting for a long-term contract to secure a fixed price for electricity, Sir Dave complained. The cost of offshore wind farms, located off the coast of the UK, is comparable, but Sir Dave noted, «The weather means they are not always reliable. That is unlike weather patterns in Morocco, which can enable electricity generation for 19 hours a day». Morocco's abundant sunshine and trade winds are key factors in the project's viability.
However, delays and political red tape in the UK are causing increasing frustration among investors. Sir Dave expressed this frustration: «The people who have invested in this project want it to go ahead in the UK. We think that's by far and away the best use of this energy, but there comes a point where you go, 'OK, we're four years in. We've done everything that you asked us to do, but this process is taking an enormous amount of time.'»
Morocco's involvement is needed
X-Links' use of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables has inspired similar projects, and the company risks losing investment if approval remains elusive. «The worry is that some of your investors and sources of financing have their heads turned and go off and do other stuff, and at some point, you're struggling to sort of keep them on board», Sir Dave said. The project could cost up to £24 billion.
Sir Dave also stressed the importance of Morocco's involvement in the initiative, which will create «10,000 jobs in the country», he caimed. «It's strategic for them, and the amount of investment that comes to Morocco as a result of this is enormous». He further rejected the notion that exploiting Morocco's resources to decarbonize Western nations is morally questionable: «This is Morocco driving this».
X-Links' chairman has been pushing hard for this ambitious project to come to fruition. In January, he told Bloomberg that the project was seeking political backing to become a reality. He revealed that X-Links was in discussions with the UK government to secure a contract to sell power at fixed prices. Since then, the company is still waiting for a response.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
2 days ago
- Ya Biladi
UK to sign defense agreements with Morocco as Rabat aspires to build local industry
The United Kingdom is planning to invest in Morocco's defense industry, a move announced as UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy voiced London's recent support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara. While in Rabat on June 2, Lammy and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita signed several agreements to deepen cooperation between the two kingdoms. A joint statement released the same day also announced the upcoming signing of a series of defense sector agreements. Among these is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UK defense and security trade association ADS Group—representing the aerospace, defense, security, and space industries in the United Kingdom—and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development. The agreement aims to strengthen links between the defense industries of both countries, the statement reads. Another MoU will be signed between British multinational BAE Systems, the National Defense Administration of Morocco, and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development. This agreement focuses on investment and the development of capabilities within the defense sector, the same document stresses. These announcements mark a significant milestone for Morocco, which aspires to develop a local defense industry, offering promising opportunities for major investors in the field. The UK could be one of the first Western countries to formalize such cooperation with Morocco. For a local defense industry Morocco has already signed major players for a local defense industry. In September 2024, Tata Advanced Systems signed a strategic partnership with Morocco's National Defense Administration to establish a plant in Casablanca for the local production of WhAP 8×8 armored combat vehicles. In January 2025, Moroccan authorities also secured a deal with Turkish defense producer Baykar, which announced the creation of a subsidiary named Atlas Defense in Rabat. The facility will design, produce, and maintain unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including models like the Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı. Morocco has also partnered with Israeli firm BlueBird Aero Systems to establish a drone factory. Although construction began in April 2024, the project has faced delays due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Back in 2023, Israel's Elbit Systems announced plans to establish two military equipment factories in Morocco, with one potentially located in Casablanca. Most recently, Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer also pledged to invest in Morocco's aerospace sector, including plans to establish a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility. This initiative aims to enhance Morocco's aerospace infrastructure and support the Royal Air Maroc's fleet expansion. It is worth noting that Morocco laid the groundwork for its defense industry with Law 10.20, published in the Official Bulletin on August 4, 2020. This legal framework establishes the foundation for developing a domestic defense manufacturing sector, providing regulation and oversight for the production, trade, and management of defense and security equipment.
Morocco World
6 days ago
- Morocco World
Xlinks Pauses UK-Morocco Undersea Power Cable Project Amid Regulatory Delays
Doha – Xlinks, the British company behind the ambitious project to connect Morocco and the United Kingdom via undersea power cables, has temporarily paused its Development Consent Order (DCO) examination process. In a May 14 letter to the UK Planning Inspectorate, the company requested this halt while awaiting a crucial decision on its Contract for Difference (CfD) from the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. The pause comes as the company seeks financial certainty through a CfD that would guarantee fixed electricity prices for 25 years. According to company sources close to the matter, this is 'a pause in the DCO process, not a suspension,' aimed at preventing 'misalignment of different project development stages.' The main issue holding up the project is the need for price certainty. Xlinks is seeking a guaranteed price of £77 per megawatt-hour for solar energy and £87 for wind energy produced in Morocco's Guelmim-Oued Noun region. Without this financial commitment, investors are reluctant to move forward with the necessary funding. 'Without this clear commitment on a stable price, Xlinks' financial partners are hesitant to inject the necessary investments,' the company stated. Dave Lewis, Xlinks' chairman, has expressed frustration over the delays and frequent ministerial changes in the UK's energy department. In a January interview with Bloomberg, Lewis noted that the undersea cable project could generate up to £24 billion (MAD 300 billion) in investments, with approximately £5 billion in Great Britain alone. The project was designated as a 'nationally significant infrastructure project' by the British government in 2023, highlighting its strategic importance to the UK's energy security. It aims to provide power to nine million British households and reduce CO2 emissions from the UK energy sector by 10%. Read also: Former UK Minister: Morocco Key Player in Britain's Clean Energy Mission The proposed 3,900-kilometer cable would traverse Portuguese, Spanish, and French coastal waters to connect Morocco's renewable energy facilities with the British grid. If completed, it would deliver 3.6 gigawatts of electricity generated from solar parks, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Facing continued delays, Xlinks has begun exploring alternatives. Lewis told The Telegraph in early April that if the British government's response was further delayed, shareholders might redirect resources toward other projects under development, including a potential Morocco-Germany connection. The company opted for direct negotiations with the government rather than going through a tender process, which has contributed to the delays. Political instability in the UK has further complicated negotiations. Meanwhile, competition is emerging. Australian group Fortescue is developing a similar 100-gigawatt electrical connection project between North Africa and the European Union. Fortescue's chairman, Andrew Forrest, has confirmed discussions with Ed Miliband, the British Secretary of State for Energy Security, and various European governments about installing multiple undersea cables that could transport up to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually—nearly equivalent to Germany's total annual consumption. Even with the most favorable outcome, Xlinks' complex authorization process is unlikely to conclude before 2026. While the company targets a 2030 launch date, effective service might not begin until 2031 at the earliest—a timeline that has investors increasingly concerned. The project has already received authorization from the Moroccan side, but still requires approvals from France, Spain, and Portugal, which the cables would cross. Tags: UK MoroccoXlinks project
Ya Biladi
6 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Xlinks requests pause in UK permit process as it awaits pricing decision for Morocco–UK project
Xlinks, the company behind the 4,000 km subsea cable to deliver solar and wind-generated electricity from Morocco to the UK, has paused its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO)—a legal authorization required for large infrastructure projects in the UK. Xlinks formally requested the pause in a letter to the UK Planning Inspectorate on May 14, explaining that it wants to wait for the outcome of its Contract for Difference (CfD) bid before proceeding. The CfD is a pricing mechanism that allows renewable energy developers to lock in a fixed price for their electricity over a set period, ensuring financial stability for large-scale projects. Xlinks expects a decision in late spring and is seeking a price of £70–80 per megawatt-hour (MWh), lower than comparable projects. Aligning project stages The Planning Inspectorate's answer was swift, granting Xlinks said pause on May 15. Sources close to the project told Yabiladi that the pause is not a suspension or cancellation, but a strategic move to align project stages. «The purpose of the pause is to allow the review process to proceed as efficiently and rigorously as possible, while ensuring that the DCO can then progress rapidly», they explained. It is worth noting that the Morocco–UK Power Project aims to deliver 3.6 gigawatts (GW) of dispatchable, clean energy from solar, wind, and battery facilities in Morocco to the UK. The project, which could cost up to £24 billion, is expected to cut UK carbon emissions by 10% and reduce wholesale electricity prices by 9.3%. In 2022, the project was included in the UK's strategic energy vision and recognized as a project of national significance in 2023. For the record, Xlinks has expressed frustration over delays in receiving UK government backing for the project, warning it could move the initiative to another country. Speaking to local media in March, Sir Dave Lewis, chairman of Xlinks, said that the delays in securing government approval are undermining investor confidence.
