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Electricity Morocco facing the challenge of Iberian integration

Here is a study that could well change the way we think about electricity in Morocco. Published in July 2025 in the international journal Energy Policy, it looked at an ambitious scenario: what if the Moroccan electricity market opened up and became fully connected to that of the Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain and Portugal? On paper, the idea seems technical and almost abstract. But in reality, the consequences could be considerable for the price of electricity, the environment, and the way in which the two regions consume and produce their energy.

Morocco and Spain are already connected by two high-voltage lines that allow electricity to flow in both directions, with a total capacity of 1,400 megawatts. But only part of this capacity is actually used for commercial exchanges: around 900 MW can be sent from Spain to Morocco, and 600 MW in the other direction. Two new interconnections are planned: a third Morocco-Spain line by 2026 and a Morocco-Portugal link by 2030. The study therefore started from a simple observation: since these networks exist and are set to expand, what would happen if the Moroccan market operated like those in Europe, with an open electricity exchange and prices set by supply and demand?

Different but complementary profiles

To answer this question, researchers devised several scenarios, ranging from total self-sufficiency (no exchange) to complete integration, where network capacity no longer limits flows. Between the two, they tested the current situation, then the future capacities forecast for 2026 and 2030. They applied these scenarios to three typical years: 2019, considered a normal year, and 2021, marked by a global energy crisis and soaring gas and coal prices. Next came 2030, with a projection that the Iberian Peninsula would have massively increased its solar and wind power generation capacity, while demand in Morocco would have risen sharply. What makes the exercise interesting is that the two markets are very different but also highly complementary.

In Spain and Portugal, more than half of the electricity already comes from renewable energies. In Morocco, coal remains dominant, even though solar and wind power are gaining ground. Periods of high consumption do not coincide: in Spain and Portugal, demand is higher in winter due to heating. In Morocco, on the other hand, it is summer that puts a strain on the grid with air conditioning. Even on a daily basis, the profiles differ: consumption peaks late in the evening in Morocco, compared to a more regular curve in Spain and Portugal. These differences, if properly exploited, can help smooth prices and optimize resources.

Khadija MASMOUDI

 

 

 

 

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