Morocco-Algeria: This intact network that serves no purpose

It is the observation of an immense untapped potential. According to a recent report from the Washington-based platform, the electrical connection between Morocco and Algeria remains technically intact, but politically disconnected. While the Moroccan network remains officially "connected" to its neighbor, no energy exchange has been recorded since the end of October 2021.

A high-tech network at a standstill

The investigation recalls that the two countries nevertheless have a robust infrastructure, the result of decades of cooperation:

• Two 225 kV lines: In service since 1988, connecting Oujda to Ghazaouet and Tlemcen.

• A 400 kV line: Operational since 2008 between the Bourdim and Sidi Ali Bousidi stations.

This system once allowed massive flows: Algeria could export up to 1,000 megawatts to Spain via Moroccan transit, and import up to 700 megawatts from Morocco in case of peak demand. The shutdown of this line, which occurred at the same time as the closure of the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline, now deprives the region of a major lever for stability and cost optimization.

Morocco and Algeria, symbols of a stalled Arab integration

The Moroccan-Algerian case is not isolated, but it is the most striking because it does not suffer from any technical constraint, unlike the devastated Syrian or Lebanese networks.

In Jordan and Syria, the Energy Ministers attempted mediation in November 2025 to reactivate their own line, but they are faced with destroyed infrastructure. In contrast, between Morocco and Algeria, the cables are ready and the transformer stations are operational.

The future of this integration remains uncertain. While Egypt signed a new agreement on December 29, 2025 to rescue Lebanon in gas, the Maghreb remains frozen in an electrical impasse where geopolitics takes precedence over energy efficiency and the transition to renewable energies.