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Rabat – At the height of the crisis with Algeria, Spain’s electricity exports to Morocco through the interconnection route across the Strait of Gibraltar reached an all-time high last month.
According to La Informacion, a Spanish news outlet, electricity exports to Morocco via the Strait interconnection increased dramatically in May, resulting in a 38,000 MWh negative balance (the difference between imports and exports) for Spain. La Informacion added that the energy highway is currently at full capacity
This increase comes at a time when Algeria continues to express frustration concerning the Moroccan-Spanish rapprochement.
Spain angered Algeria after it decided to endorse Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most “serious and credible” solution to the Western Sahara dispute in March 2022.
Following the endorsement, Algeria- which supports, finances, and backs the separatist group of the Polisario Front – ended a 20-year-long friendship treaty with Spain.
In 2021, Algeria also halted the EU-Maghreb gas pipeline contract, which had supplied Spain with Algerian gas.
The pipeline sent gas to Spain through Morocco until its expiration date in October 2021.
Read also: Sahara: Spain’s Endorsement of Morocco Is a Moment of Truth for EU, France
In 2020, Spain exported more than 100,000 MWh to Morocco, resulting in a negative balance of approximately 38,000 MWh.
In May 2021, Morocco’s power sales fell short of 23,500 MWh, whereas Spain ended the month with a positive balance of 58,200 MWh.
As a result, Spain increased its energy supplies to Morocco to record levels through the aforementioned submarine cable, known as the “REMO project.”
REMO is a Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation research project sponsored by the National Recovery Fund. INFN National Institute of Nuclear Physics serves as the only international partner.
It was initiated in Spain to investigate the impact of climate change on corals and mollusks using nuclear physics technologies and methodologies.
