Morocco - Energy and power

Morocco is dependent on imports to satisfy about 90% of its energy needs; imports of crude oil and petroleum products cost about $1 billion per year. Although little oil has been found within Morocco itself, several foreign companies were exploring for oil in the late 1980s, both offshore and in the interior. As of the mid-1990s, there were 12 oil wells. Oil production in 2002 was about 200 barrels per day, as compared with consumption of about 150,000 barrels per day. Morocco had an estimated 1.6 million barrels of proven oil reserves and 2.8 billion cu m of proven natural gas reserves as of 2002. In November 2002 there was an extensive fire at the Samir Refinery, the source of up to 90% of Morocco's refined petroleum products. Capacity was quickly restored to 60%, but officials estimated that it could take $150 million and over a year until the damage had been fully repaired.

Electricity production has grown rapidly, from 1,935 million kWh in 1970 to 13.2 billion kWh in 2000, of which 91.3% was from fossil fuels and 8.7% from hydropower. Morocco's electricity-producing capacity totaled 4.1 GW (about 25% hydro) in 2001. Morocco has many hydroelectric plants and three major thermal generating stations. In 2000 and 2001 two new 348 MW units were added to the coal-fired Jorf Lasfar plant, Africa's largest independent generating station, at a cost of $1.5 billion.

Western Sahara's electricity production in 2000 was 90 million kWh, from a capacity of 56,000 kW.