Heatwave fuels record electricity demand in Morocco

High-voltage power lines

A severe heatwave that swept across Morocco in early July pushed electricity demand to an all-time high as households and businesses ramped up the use of air conditioners and fans, Le360 has learned from a well-informed source.

On 17/07/2026 at 14h30

Morocco’s national power system recorded a peak demand of 8.4 gigawatts (GW) at 9:30 p.m. on Monday, July 6, marking the highest electricity consumption ever registered in the country.

The figure represents a 10.8% increase compared with demand recorded on the corresponding Monday a year earlier, July 7, 2025. Comparing equivalent weekdays helps account for differences in consumption patterns driven by weekly routines, economic activity and seasonal factors.

Temperatures on July 6 were also 6 degrees Celsius higher than on the equivalent day in 2025. The new peak surpassed the previous record of 8 GW, set on August 13, 2025, by 5.1%.

The surge in demand was driven primarily by the widespread use of cooling equipment in homes and businesses as temperatures climbed across the country.

Despite the unprecedented load on the grid, Morocco’s electricity system remained stable, with no outages or supply restrictions reported. The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) successfully mobilized the generating capacity needed to meet the exceptional demand.

Another record could be set in the coming weeks if Morocco experiences a heatwave similar to the one that struck in early July.

Electricity demand traditionally reaches its annual peak toward the end of July before stabilizing—or even declining—in August as industrial activity slows during the summer holiday period. At that point, electricity consumption is driven mainly by households and the tourism sector, particularly hotels.

By Wadie El Mouden
On 17/07/2026 at 14h30