ALJIHA POST
Morocco’s long-awaited Noor Atlas solar energy program has officially entered its implementation phase, marking a key milestone in the country’s renewable energy strategy. After over a decade of delays, the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen) has received government authorization to establish a dedicated subsidiary and has launched the recruitment of a strategic technical advisor to oversee the project.
The Noor Atlas initiative, valued at approximately MAD 2.775 billion (around €250 million), will see the construction of six photovoltaic (PV) plants with a total installed capacity of 291 megawatts. The program is jointly financed through concessional loans from Germany’s KfW Development Bank, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Moroccan commercial banks.
Masen’s newly created entity, Noor Atlas Energy Company S.A., will be fully owned by the agency and serve as the operational arm for the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of the six solar power stations. This legal structure aims to streamline project governance and attract technical and financial partners under a unified framework.
The PV plants will be strategically located across five Moroccan regions with high solar potential: Aïn Beni Mathar (Oriental region), Bouanane (Figuig), Boudnib (Errachidia), Enjil (Boulemane), Tan-Tan, and Tata. These locations were selected based on land availability, solar irradiation levels, and access to the national electricity grid.
To support project delivery, Masen has issued an international tender to select an Owner Engineer—a technical consultant responsible for supervising design validation, construction quality, compliance with environmental and social safeguards, and performance testing. The consulting services are backed by the EU’s Neighbourhood Investment Platform.
The Noor Atlas program is split into two geographic lots. Lot 1 includes four sites in the eastern and central regions (Aïn Beni Mathar, Enjil, Boudnib, Bouanane), while Lot 2 comprises the southern sites (Tan-Tan and Tata). Each lot must be completed within an 18-month timeline from the issuance of EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) service orders. A minimum of two plants from Lot 1 and one from Lot 2 are required to be operational within the first 13 months.
The final technical specifications, energy output estimates, and cost structures will be determined upon the signing of the EPC contracts, which are currently in the final stages of tendering. Eight pre-qualified consortia are in the running.
By advancing Noor Atlas, Morocco reaffirms its commitment to achieving 52% renewable electricity capacity by 2030, while addressing energy security, grid resilience, and sustainable development in underserved regions.
