Morocco’s l’Office National de l’Electricitie et de l’Eau Potable (ONE) is moving forward with several major projects to boost the country’s wind power capacity.

ONE is pushing ahead with the project to develop five wind farms with a total capacity of 850MW. ONE prequalified six groups for the tender after 16 had submitted prequalification entries.

The six consortiums invited to submit bids are:

• EDF Energies Nouvelles (France)/Mitsui (Japan)/Alstom (France)
• Nareva Holding (Morocco)/Taqa (UAE)/Enel Green Power (Italy)/Siemens (Germany)
• International Power (UK)/Vestas (Denmark)
• Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)/Gamesa Eolica (Spain)/ Gamesa Energia (Spain)
• GE (US)
• Acciona Power (Spain)/Acciona Energia (Spain)/Al-Ajial (Morocco)

The winning bidder will construct the five wind farms at the following locations:

• Tanger II (Tangier): 150MW
• Midelt (Midelt): 100MW
• Jbel Lahdid (Essaouira) 200MW
• Tiskrad (Laayoune): 300MW
• Boujdour (Boujdour): 100MW

The developer will design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the wind farms as independent power projects (IPPs).

ONE has appointed consultants to advise on the wind power programme. The UK’s HSBC has been selected as financial adviser, while the US’ Baker & McKenzie is legal adviser and the UK’s Garrad Hassan is technical adviser.

The electricity company is also planning to build a 100MW wind farm in Koudia al-Baida, ONE has opened technical bids from five groups, which had been invited to bid for the contract in April.

The five groups that submitted technical bids for the tender are:

• Alstom (France)/SGTM (Morocco)
• Siemens (Germany)
• Vestas (France)
• Gamesa (Spain)
• Acciona (Spain)

ONE will evaluate the technical submissions, assisted by its advisers, before shortlisting firms in the first quarter of 2012 to submit financial submissions for the contract. ONE is developing the project with the Compagnie Eolienne du Détroit (CED), and its parent company, France’s Theolia.

The wind farm projects are part of Morocco’s national energy strategy, which aims to meet its renewable energy target of 42 per cent of installed capacity by 2020. This is scheduled to include a total wind power capacity of 2,000MW.