Morocco plans to issue, within a few days, an expression of interest for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal near the eastern Mediterranean city of Nador, Energy Minister Leila Benali announced on Monday, according to Reuters.
"This week, we will be launching a call for the expression of interest to develop the first phase of the natural gas terminal in Nador," Benali told members of parliament.
Morocco is pursuing natural gas as a means to diversify its energy sources away from coal, while also advancing its renewable energy plan to reach 52% of total installed capacity by 2030, up from 45% currently.
The new infrastructure will connect to an existing pipeline used to import 0.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas from Spanish terminals, Benali stated.
The terminal will also link to industrial zones near the northwestern Atlantic cities of Kenitra and Mohammedia.
The project involves a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to be located at the under-construction deepwater Nador West Med port.
Morocco's natural gas demand is projected to rise to 8 bcm by 2027 from the current 1 bcm, according to ministry estimates. Separately, Morocco's electricity utility (ONEE) has adopted a 2025-2030 plan to increase its installed capacity by 15 gigawatts (GW), including 13 GW from renewable sources, Benali announced. This expansion will require a total investment of 120 billion dirhams ($13 billion). Currently, renewable energy capacity stands at 5.5 GW.
Reports from Hespress English indicate a $6 billion plan to develop three LNG import terminals in Nador, Dakhla, and Mohammedia or Jorf Lasfar, with completion dates ranging from 2027 to 2030. This includes connections to the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline and the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline.
In 2023, Morocco signed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to establish a public-private partnership framework for gas infrastructure development.
ONEE (Office National de l'Électricité et de l'Eau Potable) is Morocco's national electricity and water utility, a state-owned entity established in 2012 through the merger of the National Office of Electricity (ONE, founded in 1963) and the National Office of Drinking Water (ONEP, founded in 1972). It is responsible for the production, transmission, and distribution of electricity and potable water across Morocco, playing a critical role in the country's energy and water infrastructure.