The energy ministry suspends bids without detailed explanation as the country recalculates its gas infrastructure roadmap
Morocco’s energy ministry has quietly put the brakes on tenders it launched last month for an LNG terminal and related gas pipeline projects, citing “new parameters and assumptions” without going into further detail. The suspension covers bids to build an LNG terminal at the Nador West Med port on the Mediterranean coast, a pipeline linking it to an existing import infrastructure that supplies two power plants, and a connecting section running to industrial zones on the Atlantic coast in Mohammedia and Kenitra.
The move comes at an awkward moment for Morocco’s energy ambitions. The country is in the midst of a balancing act — accelerating its renewable energy plan, which aims for renewables to make up 52 percent of installed capacity by 2030 (up from 45 percent now), while also trying to diversify away from coal by ramping up natural gas use. Gas demand is expected to surge from around 1 billion cubic metres today to 8 billion cubic metres by 2027, according to ministry estimates — a jump that would make new gas infrastructure essential.
The ministry’s statement stopped well short of explaining exactly what triggered the pause or when tenders might reopen, leaving the market to speculate on whether the delay is a strategic recalculation or a sign of deeper policy uncertainty around the kingdom’s energy transition roadmap.
Source: zawya.com