Rabat – Morocco’s Directorate of External Treasury and Finance said that the country’s electricity production decreased by 4.1% at the end of 2020.
In 2019, Morocco’s electricity production stood at 17.2%, showing a significant change in just one year.
The directorate said that the change is mainly due to a decrease in the production of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) by 13.8% and lesser extent to a decrease in the production of renewable energies by 6.6%.
The decrease is also due to a 0.9% drop in private production (-0.9%).
The office also recorded a remarkable decrease of 125% regarding the outcome of electric energy exchanges with Algeria and Spain, including a 57% decrease in exports and 62.8% increase in imports.
According to the statement, Morocco’s net energy production decreased by 1.2% in 2020, against a 4% increase in 2019.
Electricity energy decreased by 1.5% after a -5.4% drop in the consumption of a very high pressure electricity.
The office also attributed the drop to the decline in consumption of electricity distributed to agencies ( -4.8%), as well as the consumption of medium pressure electricity (0.4%).
Due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown Morocco introduced in mid-March 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19, the country saw an increase in residential energy consumption by 4.2% at the end of 2020.
Thousands of workers were working remotely due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
Real Also: Morocco’s Electrical Energy Production Decreased By 4.2% in 2020
The outcome from the treasury department followed a similar projection from Morocco’s Directorate of Financial Studies and Forecasts (DFPF).
In January, the DFPF said Morocco’s eney production declined by 4.2% at the end of November 2020 after an increase of 18.4% in 2019.
Meanwhile, the country’s volume of energy import increased by 47.3% at the end of November 2020 after a decrease of 86.3% a year earlier.
The projection also concluded that Morocco’s electric consumption increased by 0.5% in the first two months of the fourth quarter of 2020.
Despite the challenges, mainly resulting from the pandemic, Morocco has pledged to continue strengthening its position as a leader in renewable energy.
The Moroccan government seeks to become a self-sufficient producer of electric energy thanks to its renewable energy assets.
According to the DFPF report, Morocco has the potential to produce 96% of its electricity using renewable energy by 2050.
Morocco’s energy consumption is expected to triple by 2050.
