Omar Belmamoun

  To what extent does Morocco’s legal framework encourage private investment in electricity production? OMAR BELMAMOUN : The sector regulation, Law 13-09, as well as its appendant rules under Law 48-15, aim to enhance the attractiveness of renewable energy projects for investors. These laws allow private entities to sell excess electricity to the Electricity and Water Office (Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable, ONEE) up to a limit of 20% of annual production, thus providing them a degree of flexibility in operations.  Furthermore, while a cap on power capacity for hydroelectric projects was imposed on private companies in the past, barring them from undertaking any project over 12 MW of installed capacity, a recent step towards further liberalisation has seen the maximum threshold for hydropower plants increase from 12 MW to 30 MW. Morocco is thus an example of an African country that is taking active measures to enhance investment in renewable energ...