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Morocco restarts Noor Ouarzazate III solar plant after more than a year of shutdown

After a one-year interruption, the Noor Ouarzazate III solar plant, with a capacity of 150 MW, has been brought back into operation by the Masen group. This event highlights Morocco's ambitions in renewable energy and energy transition.

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The Noor Ouarzazate III solar plant, one of Morocco’s key installations for its energy transition strategy, has been restarted after more than a year of downtime. The decision was announced on April 21 by Masen, the group responsible for renewable energy in Morocco. The plant had been shut down in February 2024 following the detection of a leak in its molten salt reservoir, a critical component for thermal energy production and storage.

Technology and operation of Noor III

The technology used by Noor III relies on Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), a central tower system where mirrors concentrate sunlight onto a receiver located at the top of the tower. Thanks to molten salt thermal storage, the plant can produce electricity even after sunset. This system ensures the stability of energy supply, an essential advantage for Morocco’s energy mix.

Repair and reliability enhancement

The repair of the defective reservoir required a complex technical intervention, carried out in compliance with the strictest safety and performance standards. To enhance the plant’s reliability, a second, improved-design reservoir is also under construction. Tarik Ameziane Moufaddal, CEO of Masen, emphasized the commitment of the teams and partners in the success of this operation, noting that this restart demonstrates Moroccan expertise in renewable energy.

A key step for Morocco’s energy transition

Noor III is part of the Noor Ouarzazate complex, which, with a total capacity of 580 MW, is one of the largest in the world. Morocco is thus continuing its energy transition strategy, launched in 2009, and strengthening its renewable energy production. To date, more than 4680 MW of renewable energy is in operation in the country. The goal is to achieve an electricity mix composed of more than 52% renewable sources by 2030.

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