Electricity cooperation between Morocco and Spain

The Moroccan bureau for electricity and the Spanish company Endia have signed an agreement to establish a station to generate electricity at a production capacity of 400 megawatts in the Tahdaret region of northern Morocco at a cost of $500 million.

Mr. Said Idris Benhema, the bureau's manager, said this project proves the Moroccan government's intent to support development in the country's northern regions, adding that the Tahdaret project will deepen economic relations between Morocco and Spain.

An international bid will be presented next September to select foreign contractors to build this power plant beginning in 2002 and using 500 million cubic meters of Algerian gas from an Algeria-Europe pipeline crossing Morocco.