Morocco - Noor Midelt Solar Central Project - Phase I

The project is part of the deployment of the Moroccan Solar Programme (NOOR), which aims to develop a total power generating capacity of at least 2 000 MW by 2020. The first project under this programme was the Ouarzazate complex, with a total capacity of 580 MW, spread over four plants. The first plant (160 MW) was commissioned in January 2016 and the others will go operational in 2018. Two other sites totalling100 MW are currently being developed and will be commissioned in 2018. The project before the Board aims to developtwo solar power plants (NOORMI and NOORMII) with a cumulative capacity of up to 800 MW, under a public-private partnership (PPP). Theplants will be connected to the national grid and will have a total annual output estimated at 1 886 GWh, thus guaranteeing electricity supplyfor more than 2 million Moroccans (almost 6% of the total population) and helping to avoid the release into the atmosphere of greenhouse gases equivalent to 0.7 million tonnes of CO2per year. The project will help to improve the security of power supply in Morocco (whereelectricity is used by 99% of the population). It will be implemented by MASEN based on the same mechanisms put in place for previous projects (NOOR Ouarzazate Solar Complex -Phases I & II), which were financed by the same donors (including the Bank) and whose performance in terms of implementation is deemed satisfactory. The total cost of the project is estimated at EUR 2 048 million. The donors involved in itsfinancing are, in addition to the Bank and the CTF, AFD, WB, EIB, KFW and NIF/EU. The project will be implemented over 48 months (2018-2021).