KEY POINTS
- Al Wahda, Morocco’s largest gas-turbine plant, has entered full civil construction after completing the first turbine foundation.
- The project includes two 495-MW H-class units and marks the first turnkey gas-turbine contract by a Chinese firm in North Africa.
- Once operational, it is expected to reinforce Morocco’s power grid and support the country’s renewable energy strategy toward 2030.
Morocco has edged into a decisive phase in the construction of its largest gas-turbine power station, the Al Wahda plant, with engineers completing the concrete base for its first turbine unit.
The development marks the project’s full shift into heavy civil engineering after months of preparatory works and ground stabilisation.
Project officials said the milestone gives the long-anticipated facility new momentum as Morocco seeks to expand its domestic power generation capacity and ease pressure on the national grid.
The plant, rising in the Tangier–Al Hoceima region, is set to house two 495-megawatt units equipped with H-class technology, placing it among the most advanced installations of its kind on the continent.
Civil works intensify as consortium teams commit to foundations and core infrastructure
On site, construction teams have moved into a steady rhythm of foundation-laying, slab formation and the broad civil operations that precede the installation of key machinery.
Engineers say the transition from enabling works to full structural activity is a turning point, particularly given the scale of the facility and the technical requirements for the turbines it will host.
The project is notable not only for its size but for marking the first turnkey gas-turbine contract handled by a Chinese company in North Africa.
Energy planners view it as a sign of Morocco’s widening range of international partners as the country looks to secure reliable power while continuing its longer-term shift toward renewables.
Mitsubishi Power, part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has been chosen to supply and install two M701JAC gas turbines in collaboration with the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water.
The equipment, once fitted and commissioned, is expected to strengthen the grid’s stability and help balance the intermittent nature of solar and wind generation as Morocco moves toward its 2030 energy targets.
