Morocco has taken another step to expand its clean energy network by inviting companies to bid for a new 362 MW pumped storage power plant near Sefrou. The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) has launched an international tender for the El Menzel project. Companies have until September 30, 2026, to submit their bids.
The contract includes the plant’s design, equipment supply, construction, installation and testing under a turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract. The project is expected to take four years to build and is backed by funding from the Islamic Development Bank.
The El Menzel plant will help store electricity when solar panels and wind farms produce more power than the grid needs. That stored energy can then be released within minutes when demand rises or renewable power drops, helping keep the electricity network stable.
ONEE said the project will strengthen the national grid, improve energy security and make it easier to add more renewable energy.
The 362 MW plant will join Morocco’s existing pumped storage stations at Afourer, with a capacity of 464 MW, and Abdelmoumen, which can generate 350 MW. Another 300 MW plant, Ifahsa, is also under development near Chefchaouen.
Once El Menzel and Ifahsa are completed, Morocco’s pumped storage capacity will exceed 1,470 MW, making it one of the largest energy storage networks in Africa.
The project comes as Morocco increases investment in renewable energy and the infrastructure needed to support it. Large storage plants help balance the grid by storing extra electricity and supplying it during busy periods.
The announcement also follows a 265 million dollar World Bank loan for the Ifahsa project. According to the World Bank, that plant will allow at least 1,000 MW of new wind and solar power to connect to the grid. It is also expected to replace about 3 terawatt-hours of electricity generated from fossil fuels each year and cut around 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
The World Bank says stronger energy storage could also attract about one billion dollars in private investment for future renewable energy projects.
Before launching the tender, ONEE shortlisted three international consortia. They are China International Water & Electric Corporation with Jet Contractors, Sinohydro with Andritz Hydro, and Webuild with Dongfang Electric International.
If the contract is awarded after the September deadline, the El Menzel plant is expected to be operating by 2030.
