According to the Bank’s website, the Project Development Objective is to enhance resilience of the Moroccan power system and enable increased integration of renewable energy generation.

The proposed Project will provide ancillary services to enhance the transmission system flexibility and enable higher integration of new wind and solar generation and will therefore enhance Morocco's energy security through more reliance on domestic energy resources.The proposed Project will finance the preparation, construction, and commissioning of the Ifahsa PHS plant with an expected capacity of 300 MW. The project is located 14 km from Chefchaouen in northern Morocco, near the Laou valley and south of Tetouan, the Ifahsa PHS plant will feature two reversible pump-turbine units of 150 MW each, operating with a maximum flow of 44 m3/s in turbine mode and 37 m3/s in pumping mode. During off-peak hours, the plant will use dispatched renewable electricity from the grid to pump water from the lower to the upper reservoir. During peak hours, it will generate electricity to meet the peak demand in the Morocco's grid system, by conveying the stored water from the upper to the lower reservoir through hydraulic turbines. the PHS plant will be connected by 400 kV transmission to the national grid.

The environmental risk rating is considered high due to the proposed Project's location within the buffer zone of Talassemtane National Park (legally protected area), the construction of two storage infrastructures of around 800,000 m³ each, with facings reaching a height of 20 meters, which can be classified as "large dams." The construction also includes a 65 km power transmission line, part of which will cross the national park. The proposed Project involves generating and handling significant volumes of excavated material during the construction phase, using explosives for clearing work, and encountering two water sources along the pipeline route that connects the two basins. Additionally, the project's potential to disrupt local ecosystems and the need for appropriate mitigation measures and stringent environmental management practices further contribute to its high-risk rating. Social Safeguards (Substantial). The potential social risks include potential land acquisition, livelihood disruptions, and labor-related issues. Preliminary E&S assessment also indicates that the site involves collective, private, and state owned lands essential for local grazing.

Total Project Cost: US$ 500.00 million
IBRD Commitment: US$ 220.00 million
Grant Amount: US$ 280.00 million

World Bank
Noreddine Citroen - Senior Energy Specialist
Lucine Flor Lominy - Senior Energy Specialist
Anas Benbarka - Lead Energy Specialist

Borrower/Client/Recipient
Office National de l'Électricité et de l'Eau potable (ONEE)

Implementing Agencies
Office National de l'Électricité et de l'Eau potable (ONEE)

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint