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El Menzel pumped-storage power plant project advances with 362 MW capacity
via Le Matin2 min read
The El Menzel Pumped-Storage Power Plant STEP project, led by the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water ONEE – Electricity Branch, is progressing. Located approximately 8 km northwest of El Menzel and 35 km southeast of Séfrou, the plant will have an installed capacity of 362 megawatts MW, provided by two 181 MW reversible single-stage Francis pump-turbine units. The Islamic Development Bank IsDB is financing the project with 441.82 million euros, comprising 432.52 million euros as an installment sale and 9.3 million euros as an ordinary loan. Construction is planned over 48 months under an EPC contract, with an international tender process currently underway. The facility utilizes a nearly 300-meter altitude difference between the upper basin hill and the lower basin area near the confluence of the Zgane and Sebou wadis, both artificial. The plant will have a nominal gross head of 254 meters and a total turbine flow rate of 160 m³/s. The underground plant's main cavern will house the two units, and a secondary cavern will be dedicated to transformers. Each of the upper and lower basins will have a total storage capacity of 3.0 million cubic meters Mm³, with 2.9 Mm³ of usable capacity. The STEP will connect to the national electricity grid via a 29 km, 400 kilovolt kV line, linking to the Oualili-Bourdim line. ONEE plans to recruit an expert for technical assistance during construction. This project aligns with the national strategy to increase renewable energy's
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