This is a significant setback for the ambitious Xlinks project. The British government has officially withdrawn its funding for the 4,000-kilometer underwater power cable intended to connect Morocco to the United Kingdom. Estimated at $33 billion, this project aimed to transport 3.6 gigawatts of solar and wind energy from Tan-Tan to the British coast, covering nearly 8% of the UK’s electricity needs.
According to British authorities, this decision follows a thorough risk assessment: political instability in London, uncertainties surrounding the fixed-price power purchase agreement, as well as growing concerns about the security of underwater cables in the face of geopolitical threats.
### A Strategic Reorientation for the UK
The UK Department for Energy Security justifies this withdrawal by a desire to prioritize domestic projects, deemed more secure, less costly for taxpayers, and potentially more beneficial for the local economy (jobs, supply chain, energy sovereignty).
This turnaround comes after a previous British government had classified the project among the national infrastructure of importance in 2023. It illustrates the political instability in London, with four successive governments in a few years.
### Rabat Still Believes
Despite this disengagement, the project is not abandoned. In Rabat, authorities express their determination to continue the initiative, mentioning ongoing discussions with private partners, including British ones.
For his part, Sir David Lewis, chairman of Xlinks, said he was “bitterly surprised” by this decision, while asserting that he is seeking “new ways to unlock the project’s potential.”
The dream of an energy bridge between Morocco and the UK is therefore not buried. However, it will now have to be built without the direct support of the British government.