Moroccan state-owned power utility Office National de l’Electricite et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE) has picked banking and legal advisors for $4.6bn gas-to-power project at Jorf Lasfar.

The utility has selected HSBC Middle East Limited as financial adviser and has appointed the law firm Ashurst as legal advisor for the deal.

The appointed adviser will assist ONEE with the negotiation and completion of LNG sale and purchase agreements for the development of the gas-to-power project.

MEED last year reported that ONEE had awarded a technical consultancy contract to a joint venture of France’s Sofregaz and Denmark’s Ramboll for the planned scheme.

The entire project involves import of up to 7 billion cubic metres of gas by 2025. Morocco will build a jetty, terminal, pipelines and gas-fired power plants as part of the overall scheme.