The projects were inaugurated by ONEE Director General Tarik Hamane in the presence of Abdesslam Bekrat, governor of the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region. They also serve the neighboring communities of El Marsa, Foum El Oued, and Tarouma.
The flagship project, with a budget of MAD 850 million, involves the construction of a seawater intake system and pre-treatment facilities for Laayoune’s desalination plants. Financed through a partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the project is designed to secure a long-term seawater supply for the desalination facilities, which are currently fed by coastal boreholes.
The project includes the construction of an intake tower and a 2.25-kilometer offshore pipeline with a diameter of 1,800 millimeters, along with upgrades to the pre-treatment system using advanced technologies. Commissioning is scheduled for April 2028.
ONEE also inaugurated the rehabilitation of Unit No. 5 at the Laayoune desalination plant, which first entered service in 2005. The MAD 53 million upgrade doubles the unit’s production capacity from 2,800 to 5,300 cubic meters per day while reducing energy consumption through the integration of energy recovery systems.
In the same effort, a new 22-kV underground medium-voltage power line stretching 20 kilometers was completed at a cost of MAD 26 million. The line is intended to secure the electricity supply for the seawater intake facilities.
ONEE also presented progress updates on two other strategic projects.
The first is a 40 MVA electrical substation, which is 60% complete and is expected to enter service in December 2026. The project represents an investment of MAD 36 million.
The second project, now nearing completion, involves a new 21-kilometer drinking water transmission pipeline linking Foum El Oued to Laayoune. With an investment of MAD 85 million, it will increase the city’s water transport capacity by 50%, from 43,000 to 64,000 cubic meters per day, and is expected to become operational by the end of August 2026.
