Neither the Ministry of Energy Transition nor the Moroccan Agency for Renewable Energies (Mazen) issued any statement regarding the announcement of the cessation of work at the Nour 3 solar power station, which produces 150 megawatts of solar energy.

This comes after the Saudi company “Acwa Power” announced a forced suspension of operations at the Noor 3 solar power station in Ouarzazate, after a leak occurred in the molten salt tank, and the suspension could continue until November 2024.

The sudden cessation of the project would affect programs to develop solar energy production by 2030, as the government seeks to produce 52 percent of the country’s renewable energy needs.

Initial estimates indicate that ACWA Power Ouarzazate will lose revenues from the Noor 3 concentrated solar power plant worth $47 million (470 million dirhams), noting that its share in the project amounts to 75%.

The company said that it is working on repairing the tank, in addition to the possibility of building a new tank, explaining that any fundamental updates will be announced in due course.

The Nour 3 concentrated solar power plant, which produces 150 megawatts of electricity, is considered the third project of its kind for the Moroccan Solar Energy Agency, within a group of solar energy projects in the Ouarzazate Solar Complex, as it is expected that this complex will turn into a solar area that produces 500 Megawatt includes several stations that use various solar technologies.

Noor 3 station generates electricity using concentrated solar energy technology and generates 150 megawatts with the ability to store thermal energy for 8 hours.

Aqua Power was established in 2004 in Saudi Arabia, and is 50% owned by the Public Investment Fund. It is present in 13 countries in the Middle East, North and South Africa, and Southeast Asia, and operates in 13 countries in the fields of energy and water desalination.

The Moroccan Agency for Renewable Energy, known by its abbreviation “MAZEN”, manages projects to develop clean energy production capacity to reach 6,000 megawatts by the year 2030. The purpose of this is to contribute to achieving the national goal of raising the share of renewable energies to 52% of the energy package in the country. Horizon 2030.