Morocco poised to become crossroads for energy transit, official

Morocco is becoming a crossroads for energy transit thanks to the Gas and electric interconnections with Europe (Gazoduc Maroc Europe), Moroccan energy and mines minister, Mohammed Boutaleb, said Thursday.

The official underlined at a press briefing on prospects of natural gas in Morocco that the kingdom can be considered today an energy transit towards Europe, the Maghreb and the Middle East. As soon as interconnections between Algeria and Tunisia will be set up, Morocco will also be a transit towards southern countries through Mauritania, Senegal and other northwestern African countries, he went on.

He also cited the signing in 2002 of a build-and-operate contract of the first combined cycle power plant in Tahaddart (30 Km south of Tangier) which will be operational in 2005. The project will cost 285 million Euro and will account for nearly 17 percent of the national electricity production, he added.