Tahaddart and Beni Mathar gas power plants reactivated
The Aïn Béni Mathar plant (in the Eastern region) is located not far from Jerada, a few kilometers from the border with Algeria
ïn Béni Mathar and Tahaddart… Morocco’s gas power plants have just resumed their operations. Indeed, the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mining (Onhym) has just announced the return to service of these strategic sites. “The Kingdom of Morocco announces the return to service of its combined cycle power plants in Tahaddart and Aïn Béni Mathar from LNG (liquefied natural gas) imported from the international market”, confirms Onhym. The natural gas supply of these two power stations is ensured by the Maghreb Europe Gas Pipeline via the Morocco-Spain gas interconnection operating in reverse flow mode, according to the Hydrocarbons Office. Morocco therefore secures its supply of natural gas by signing LNG purchase contracts on the international market and by using the gas infrastructures of Spanish operators and the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline, according to Onhym. Now, the two plants, which provide between 10 and 17% of the national electricity production, are operational. It should be noted that the two power stations had temporarily suspended their activities since Algeria decided, in October 2021, to stop the transport of its liquefied natural gas to Morocco. As a reminder, at the end of last October, Algiers decided unilaterally not to renew the GME (Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline) contract with Rabat.
But Morocco was expecting this twist. As a result, it had studied several scenarios in order to diversify its sources of supply and not remain dependent on Algerian gas or even on the whims of its eastern neighbor. Among the scenarios was the interconnection via the same GME with Spain but in the opposite direction this time. In the meantime, technical adjustments have been made to the pipeline and connection equipment with the adaptation of compressor stations. Finally, on May 28, the transport of gas became operational and effective from Spain to Morocco.
The principle consists of buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the international market. Then it is transported to regasification plants in Spain in accordance with the agreement between the two governments.It must be said that the gas shipments from Spain to Morocco are part of a package of measures following diplomatic warming and the resumption of economic relations between the two countries.
