Moroccan utility ONEE granted $340mln in loans for energy transition
Moroccan water and power utility ONEE said it has been granted 300 million euros ($340 million) in loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and German state lender KfW to support integration of renewable energy into the national grid.
The financing package comprises 170 million euros from the EIB and 130 million euros from KfW, the utility said on Friday, adding that the money will be used to expand its electricity transmission network by 730km.
ONEE plans to invest $19 billion in its electricity development plan through 2030, the year Morocco will co-host the World Cup soccer tournament, together with Spain and Portugal.
The plan aims to increase installed renewable energy capacity to 56% of the country's total electricity capacity by 2027, three years ahead of the 2030 target.
Currently, installed renewable energy capacity stands at 45%, or 5.5GW.
ONEE said it will add 15GW of installed electricity capacity, including 12GW from renewable sources by 2030.
Last week ONEE signed a deal with the United Arab Emirates' TAQA to build a 1,400 km high-voltage transmission line with a capacity of 3,000 megawatts linking Western Sahara's renewable energy sites to central Morocco.
Coal still accounts for more than 70% of Morocco's energy production.
Seeking to diversify its coal-dependent energy sector, Morocco began in April a tendering process to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in the Mediterranean port of Nador.
(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi Editing by David Goodman and Susan Fenton)
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