The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) has embarked on multiple infrastructure projects in Laayoune province, investing over MAD 1 billion ($106 million) to enhance water security and improve electricity distribution in the region. These initiatives are particularly focused on upgrading drinking water services in Laayoune city and its surrounding areas, including El Marsa, Foum El Oued, and Tarouma, while ensuring the long-term reliability of desalination facilities.
A key project involves the establishment of a seawater intake system and pretreatment facilities for Laayoune’s desalination plants, with an estimated investment of MAD 850 million ($90.56 million). This project is a collaborative effort between ONEE, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Ministry of Equipment and Water, aimed at securing a reliable seawater supply for the plants. The infrastructure will include an intake tower and a 2.25-kilometer seawater pipeline, replacing the current reliance on coastal boreholes. The completion of this project is anticipated by April 2028.
Additionally, ONEE has rehabilitated the fifth production unit at Laayoune’s desalination facility for MAD 53 million ($5.6 million), which will enhance the plant’s efficiency. This upgrade will increase the unit’s production capacity from 2,800 to 5,300 cubic meters per day and reduce energy consumption from 3.7 to 2.7 kWh per cubic meter through energy recovery technologies.
Another completed project includes a 20-kilometer underground medium-voltage power line connecting the Foum El Oued high/medium-voltage substation, ensuring stable electricity supply for coastal boreholes that support desalination. This initiative represents an investment of MAD 26 million ($2.77 million).
During a recent visit, ONEE also highlighted two ongoing projects: the construction of a new 40 MVA high/medium-voltage substation, currently 60% complete and expected to be operational by December 2026, and a MAD 85 million ($9 million) initiative to improve drinking water transport capacity between Foum El Oued and Laayoune, which includes a 21-kilometer ductile iron pipeline linking the Carrefour pumping station to the Al Wahda reservoirs.
Source: Morocco World News
