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Doha – The ambitious Xlinks power project connecting Morocco to the United Kingdom requires political backing to secure its £24 billion ($29.9 billion) investment plan, with approximately £5 billion ($6.2 billion) earmarked for UK development, according to Bloomberg.
“It offers enough stable, reliable and dedicated supply to power 7 million homes, or 8% of current electricity needs,” said Dave Lewis, Xlinks’s chairman and former chief executive officer of Tesco Plc, in an interview with Bloomberg. “It brings billions in inward investment. It helps reduce wholesale energy prices while cutting emissions.”
The project aims to establish 11.5 gigawatts of solar and wind farm capacity in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region, coupled with a 22.5 GWh/5 GW battery storage system.
The power will be transmitted through a 4,000-kilometer undersea cable following the continental shelf along the coasts of Portugal, Spain, and France before reaching Devon in southwest England.
Xlinks is targeting a final investment decision this year, with financial close expected in 2026 and construction to begin before the end of next year.
The project is scheduled to become operational in 2031, shortly after the UK’s 2030 deadline for a clean power grid.
Major energy companies have already invested in the venture. GE Vernova Inc. contributed $10.2 million in early 2024, joining existing investors including France’s TotalEnergies SE, Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., and Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest retail energy supplier.
While longer than a direct path, the cable route has been strategically chosen to avoid the technical challenges of the deeper waters in the Bay of Biscay, reaching a maximum depth of 700 meters.
Read also: Morocco Continues to Strengthen Focus on Renewable Energy for Sustainable Growth
Despite passing through Spanish, Portuguese, and French waters, the cable will not have electrical connections to these countries, simplifying the permit process.
Xlinks is currently in discussions with the UK government to secure a power purchase contract at fixed prices.
The company indicates it would require a power price higher than UK offshore wind farms but below the rate agreed for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in 2016.
The UK government declared the project one of “national significance” in August 2023, underlining its strategic importance for British energy security.
The development is expected to create over 12,000 temporary and permanent jobs during construction and operation phases.
The project’s timing goes in line with Morocco’s growing prominence in renewable energy. According to a recent report from Attaqa, Morocco ranks second among African countries driving major renewable energy projects in 2025, following South Africa and ahead of Egypt.
The country is on track to secure more than 50% of its energy mix from renewable sources by 2025, with plans to achieve 80% by 2030.
The project’s plea for political support comes as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves seek to revive the British economy.
Last year’s general elections disrupted the cable’s timeline, and now there’s a new set of ministers in government to convince, according to Lewis.
