The desalination plant in Casablanca, the construction of which was launched on Monday by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, is an extremely strategic project to strengthen and secure the supply of drinking water for the entire region, emphasized Mr. Tarik Hammane, Director General of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE).
This plant, which will be built in the municipality of Lamharza Essahel (El Jadida province), is among the largest in the world and the largest in Africa, with an annual production capacity of 300 million m3 per year, Mr. Hammane specified in a statement to the press on the occasion of the project launch, noting that it will supply the cities of Casablanca, Settat, and Berrechid, as well as surrounding areas (Bir Jdid, Had Soualem).
The plant will be built in two phases and will provide drinking water for nearly 7.5 million inhabitants in the region, he stated.
During the first phase, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2026, the plant is set to reach a production capacity of 200 million m3 per year, expandable in a second phase (scheduled for mid-2028) to 300 million m3 per year, which includes an additional 100 million m3, of which 50 million will be for agricultural use, added the Director General of ONEE.
This project will be carried out through a public-private partnership, he continued, noting that ONEE has partnered with national and international private partners for the financing and implementation of the project.
He added that the Casablanca desalination plant is also technically significant as it will be equipped with the best technologies in the field and will be powered by renewable energy.
All the electricity required for the operation of the plant will come from non-polluting renewable energies, Mr. Hammane assured, emphasizing that all actions to respect the environment have been taken into account.