Morocco’s Office National de l’Electricité (One) has issued a request for proposals to developers to build a 150MW wind farm in Taza. Interested companies have until the end of October to submit bids.

The following companies have been prequalified to bid:

• Mitsui (Japan)
• Enel Green Power (Italy)
• Enercon (UK)
• EDF Energies Nouvelles (France)
• Siemens (Germany) - 50 per cent/WKN Windkraft (Germany) – 50 per cent
• AES (US)
• International Power (UK) – 50 per cent/Nareva (Morocco) – 50 per cent

The wind farm will be constructed at a site located 12 kilometres northwest of Taza on a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis. One will agree a 20-year offtake agreement with the chosen developer.

According to One’s original bid schedule, project contracts are to be finalised by January 2012 and financial close is to be achieved by July 2012. The project is scheduled for operation by July 2014. The UK’s GL Garrad Hassan, France’s BNP Paribas and the UK’s Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are advisers on the project.

The project is part of Morocco’s plan to develop a 1,000MW wind-power programme to assist in the country’s target of 42 per cent of installed capacity based on renewable energy by 2020.

The scheme will comprise five wind farms:

• Taza (Taza): 150MW
• Sendouk (Tangier): 150MW
• Baida Koudia II (Tetouan): 300MW
• Tiskrad (Laayoune): 300MW
• Boujdour (Boujdour): 100MW

The wind farms included in the programme will be structured through public-private partnerships (PPPs), whereby One, Société d’Investissement Energétique (SIE) and Hassan II Funds will partner one or several strategic partners to set up a project company.