ONEE seeks bids for El Menzel power storage project, with 45 million dirhams required upfront
Each bid to build the future electricity storage plant at El Menzel, near Séfrou, must be accompanied by a guarantee of 45 million dirhams. The 362 MW project, led by ONEE, is expected to take four years to complete.
Companies have until October 28, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to submit their proposals, according to the updated notice from ONEE. The initial deadline was September 30. The guarantee amount remains unchanged.
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The successful bidder will be responsible for carrying out the detailed design studies, supplying the equipment, building the plant and commissioning it. The Islamic Development Bank requires candidates to have strong financial capacity and experience with pumped-storage plants or hydroelectric projects of comparable complexity.
Four years of work to store electricity
Located about 35 kilometers southeast of Séfrou, the pumped-storage power plant (STEP) will operate with two reservoirs. Water will be pumped to the upper reservoir when electricity is available at lower cost, then released through turbines to supply power to the grid.
The planned execution period is 48 months. For financing, the general procurement notice mentions a request for 432.52 million euros in the form of an installment sale and 9.3 million in the form of an ordinary loan. These 441.82 million euros cover the project as a whole, which also includes connection to the grid and support services.
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