Comprising 27 wind turbines, the first phase of the wind farm will have a total capacity of 87MW
EDF Renewables, Mitsui begin construction at Taza. (Credit: www_slon_pics from Pixabay.)
EDF Renewables and Mitsui & Co have commenced the construction at the first phase of Taza wind farm, located approximately 15km north-west of Taza in northern Morocco.
The first phase of the wind farm comprises 27 wind turbines, with a total capacity 87MW.
The project is backed by a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) and the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN).
The construction has been started following the financing offered by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), MUFG Bank, along with the Moroccan bank Bank of Africa.
It also follows execution of the agreements with the Moroccan public entities ONEE and MASEN.
EDF Renewables and Mitsui will hold 60% and 40% of private interests in the wind farm, respectively
In the project, EDF Renewables and Mitsui will respectively hold 60% and 40% of the private interests in the project.
The Moroccan public part, from the ONEE, MASEN and the Hassan II Fund, is expected to hold up to 35% of the project.
Approximately 500 people are expected to work during the construction phase of the project.
In addition, the Taza wind farm is anticipated to contribute to the social and economic development of the region, throughout its life operation.
The project is expected enter into service from the starting of 2022, and is expected to generate power adequate for the annual consumption of 350,000 people, in the Taza Province.
Mitsui & Co. infrastructure projects business unit COO Kazumasa Nakai said: “We are pleased to inform to start the construction of the Taza Project together with EDF Renewables.
“Mitsui &Co., Ltd. has been dedicated to several investments in Morocco and as the Taza Project is the first investment for Mitsui in Renewable Energy sector in Africa, we are honoured to say that Mitsui &Co., Ltd. will keep contributing to Moroccan energy strategy, including the achievement of 52% of Renewable Energy by 2030.
“We would like to sincerely thank all the parties which have been involved in this project for a long time, and to seek further possibilities to collaborate together for the development of Morocco.”