MOROCCO Law and Practice Contributed by: Wacef Bentaibi, Benoit Pape, Chaimaâ Bouhami and Maxime Masurier, Gide Loyrette Nouel
excess-capacity charge. For small consumers, tariffs are based on consumption brackets under a progres- sive system. Open Market Access Large industrial consumers connected at high voltage (HV) and very high voltage (VHV) may benefit from the open market under Law 13-09, entering into direct purchase agreements with private renewable produc- ers. The HV and VHV markets have become saturated, making access to the medium-voltage market – now enabled by ANRE’s TURD decision – essential for fur- ther development of the competitive segment. Law 82-21 allows consumers to install their own gen- eration capacity from any source and sell excess to the grid operator. ONEE also maintains peak and off- peak regulated tariffs for industrial users to reduce demand in peak periods, prioritising voluntary load shedding before using imports or storage as peak- shaving sources. 2.2 Electricity Imports and Exports Permissibility Imports and exports of electricity are permitted. ONEE manages power exchanges as system opera- tor and has held a licence to operate in the Spanish power market since 1999. Under Law 13-09, opera- tors of renewable energy installations connected to the national transmission grid may export electricity, subject to the TSO’s opinion and the MTEDD’s agree- ment. Jurisdictions and Main Active Interconnections • Spain (European grid): Morocco and Spain are con- nected by two 400 kV submarine/overhead inter- connection lines (1997 and 2006). ONEE trades electricity bilaterally with Red Eléctrica de España. • Future interconnections: Plans include a third sub- sea interconnector with Spain, a new interconnec- tion with Portugal, and engagement with African neighbours. Morocco is a member of the Maghreb Electricity Committee (COMELEC). Circumstances of Imports and Exports Imports typically occur during peak demand periods, when domestic generation is insufficient or more expensive. By 2017, imports reached approximate-
ly 5,955 GWh, representing 16% of gross output. Imports serve as a key source of system flexibility, used alongside pumped storage, CSP storage and gas-fired plants. Morocco became a net exporter in 2019, primarily due to the commissioning of the Safi coal-fired power plant (1,386 MW) and the expansion of renewable energy capacity. In 2024, exchanges via the Spain intercon- nections stood at 2,539 GWh, representing 5.5% of national electricity demand. Reviews and Approvals • ONEE-managed exchanges: Imports and exports in the regulated segment are managed directly by ONEE. No separate regulatory approval is required for each transaction; ONEE determines volumes based on economic arbitrage and system needs. • Private renewable energy exports: Under Law No 40-19, export requires the TSO’s opinion and the MTEDD’s agreement. An export agreement with the TSO defines technical and economic conditions for access to interconnections. A copy must be noti- fied to ANRE. Where grid capacity is insufficient, operators may build direct transmission lines for export. • ANRE oversight: Under Law 48-15, the TSO pro- poses to ANRE – for approval – the rules and tariff for access to interconnections, established on a non-discriminatory basis. Pricing • Imports: ONEE imports electricity from Spain when spot prices on the Iberian Electricity Market ( Mer- cado Ibérico de Electricidade , or MIBEL) are lower than its marginal domestic generation cost. There is no domestic market clearing price; the cost is absorbed into ONEE’s overall supply cost. • Exports:ONEE holds a licence to trade surplus electricity on MIBEL. For private exporters, pric- ing is governed by the export convention with the TSO, and an annual exploitation duty is payable to the State. 2.3 Supply Mix of Electricity Overview Morocco’s electricity supply mix is diversified across thermal, renewable and imported sources. In 2024,
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