RABAT, July 29 – Morocco has approved a $26.4 billion investment plan to improve its electricity and drinking water systems between 2026 and 2030, with a strong focus on renewable energy and water security.
The plan was approved by the board of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) during a meeting led by Economy Minister Nadia Fettah.
According to ONEE Director General Tarik Hamane, the investment will help speed up the country’s shift to cleaner energy by increasing renewable power, expanding energy storage, upgrading the electricity grid and improving water infrastructure.
As a result, Morocco expects renewable energy to make up more than 52% of its installed electricity generation capacity by 2028.
Out of the total investment, $21.9 billion will go into electricity projects, while $4.4 billion will be used to strengthen drinking water infrastructure.
The electricity programme includes $11.1 billion for renewable energy projects that will add 11.6 gigawatts of renewable power and 2.6 gigawatts of energy storage. ONEE said these projects will make up about 80% of the country’s planned new electricity generation capacity between 2026 and 2030.
The plan also covers battery energy storage systems with a combined capacity of 2,230 megawatt-hours, the construction of the 360-megawatt El Menzel pumped-storage hydroelectric plant and a 3,744-megawatt natural gas flexibility programme.
Meanwhile, Morocco plans to increase its drinking water supply by expanding desalination projects. ONEE said desalination capacity will exceed 1.3 billion cubic metres a year, enough to meet 63% of the country’s drinking water demand, up from 13% in 2025 and less than 8% in 2023.
New desalination plants are planned for Casablanca, the Oriental region, Tangier, Souss-Massa and Guelmim-Tan-Tan.
Fettah said the investment plan responds to the country’s growing energy and water challenges, while Hamane said the first phase of the Casablanca desalination plant is now 81% complete and is expected to begin operating on February 1, 2027.
