Construction of Africa's Largest Desalination Plant in Morocco Backed by Spanish Firms

Desalination is extracting salt and other minerals from seawater to generate drinking water. In a recent announcement, Spanish companies stated they would provide funding for developing the largest desalination plant in Africa, located in Casablanca, Morocco, and will service five different towns.

(Photo : Pexels/Splash of Rain )

Construction of Africa's Largest Desalination Plant 

Cofides and CaixaBank of Spain have disclosed their intention to finance Acciona's development of a desalination facility in Morocco. The country's strategy for addressing the water problem is consistent with the project, particularly in the region characterized by a significant lack of rainfall and a high strain on traditional water supplies.

As mentioned, the two corporations will loan €31 million to finance the construction. Acciona, a Spanish multinational corporation that specializes in the development and maintenance of infrastructure, will lead the initiative in its entirety. Through a 30-year concession, Acciona will collaborate with Morocco's National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water to carry out the initiative, which will require an investment of €650 million.

Moreover, beginning in 2026, this public-private partnership project will generate an annual production of 200 million cubic meters of drinking water, with the capacity expanding to 300 million cubic meters in subsequent phases, and will supply five localities. The partnership will be responsible for operating and maintaining the reverse osmosis facility, which spans fifty hectares. It has an agreement with the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water. The plant will be powered solely by wind energy. Acciona and a Moroccan renewable energy generator have signed the power purchase agreement.

A storage reservoir and 130 kilometers of supply pipelines will be among the ancillary works that the consortium will construct. Additionally, the group of companies will install two seawater input pipes that are 1.85 kilometers long, a discharge outfall that is 2.5 kilometers long, a sludge treatment unit, and a control center. These works will cost a total of $300 million if they are completed. With the goal of shielding Morocco from the effects of climate change, this project is a component of a more significant endeavor that was initiated four years ago and cost $14.3 billion.

Also Read: Bamboo House Bill: PH Advocates Bamboo for Stronger, Sustainable Construction

Africa's Goal To Produce Safe Drinking Water

During the past few years, Morocco has witnessed a substantial rise in the demand for water due to various activities, including tourism, industry, trade, and domestic consumption. At the same time, the nation is going through a lengthy drought with drought conditions. This initiative ensures that people living in several metropolitan centers have access to clean drinking water, contributing to the accomplishment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which focuses on water and sanitation.

Accordingly, as part of a public-private partnership (PPP), Acciona constitutes a component of an international group that has been chosen to develop, build, run, and maintain a desalination plant. On the other hand, as for the project details that the Crown Prince announced earlier this month, it was made clear that it would be the biggest in Africa. Once it's fully operational, Morocco's new plant will be able to make 300 million cubic meters of cement every year, enough to serve about 7.5 million people.

Related Article: Ceuta's Energy Transition: Spain's New Power Link Across the Strait of Gibraltar