ONEE initiates preparations for Tangier desalination plant project

The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water ONEE has launched a tender to recruit a firm to provide technical, financial, and legal support for the Tangier seawater desalination plant project. This strategic project will be implemented under a public-private partnership PPP and is entering its operational structuring phase. The selected firm will assist in evaluating bids from construction and operation companies, analyzing and negotiating contractual clauses with the private developer, auditing the financial model, and providing technical, legal, and financial monitoring after the contract's effective date. The aim is to secure the entire decision-making chain, from selecting industrial partners to ensuring the project's economic sustainability. The planned infrastructure includes a seawater intake, a treatment plant, brine discharge pipes, reservoirs, and power supply equipment, including a dedicated high-voltage line. Environmental requirements are a key focus, with detailed impact studies and an Environmental and Social Management Plan ESMP to be implemented, addressing biodiversity, pollution risks, and local acceptability. This project highlights the increasing importance of governance in major water projects, with the PPP model requiring precise risk allocation, mastery of financial models, and contractual negotiation capabilities aligned with international standards. The Tangier desalination project, with an announced capacity of 150 million m³ per year, is