The Court of Auditors has sharply criticized the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development in its latest report, highlighting several critical issues, including significant delays in the operationalization of major projects, the failure to hold scheduled meetings, and the postponement of the publication of essential regulatory texts.
The assessment targets current and previous governments for failing to meet key objectives.
Although the National Energy Strategy (SEN) 2009-2030 established strategic goals aimed at ensuring energy security, competitive pricing, universal access to energy, demand control, and environmental preservation, various shortcomings have emerged since its adoption, indicating a lack of effective implementation.
The SEN was designed to facilitate the development of an optimized energy mix, leveraging reliable and competitive technologies, fostering the expansion of renewable energy (RE) through national resources, and prioritizing energy efficiency as a national goal, yet many of these ambitions remain unfulfilled.
The SEN encompasses multiple components, including electricity, renewable energy, energy efficiency, fuels and lubricants, nuclear power, oil exploration, shale oil, and bioenergy.
While the Court acknowledges the “significant progress” made, reinforcing Morocco’s position as a nation committed to the energy transition, it also stresses that substantial improvements are still necessary, particularly in the areas of governance in the energy sector and the attainment of the specific objectives set for each of the strategy’s components.
On the matter of energy sector governance, the Court observes that the planning process has predominantly focused on the electricity sector, leaving other critical areas neglected.
The Court mentions that, although plans were developed for energy production and transmission, other vital aspects, such as supply security, energy efficiency, and the diversification of energy sources, have been insufficiently addressed.
The report further emphasizes, with supporting data, that the governance meetings for public establishments and companies (EEP) in the energy sector have been irregular, citing the example of the board of directors of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), which held only 5 of the 28 scheduled meetings between 2010 and 2023.
Delays in numerous projects
In terms of renewable energy, the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix, measured by installed production capacity, increased from 32% in 2009 to 40% by the end of 2023, still falling short of the 42% target set for 2020. The Court attributes this delay mainly to the slow progress in the implementation of various renewable energy production projects, which has hindered the achievement of this goal.
The transfer of renewable energy projects and facilities from ONEE to MASEN has also experienced significant delays. As of September 2024, this transfer has not yet taken place, despite Law No. 38.16 stipulating that this operation should have been completed by September 2021.
The separation of roles in the electricity sector—covering production, transmission, and distribution—remains unaccomplished by the end of 2023. Moreover, the absence of a fixed deadline for completing this separation has delayed the creation of a network manager, as required by Law No. 48-15.
The development of nuclear and biomass energy options, which the SEN identified as essential for bolstering energy security, remains in a nascent phase as of the end of 2023, despite initial plans to make progress in these areas.
Beyond delays, the report also identifies additional concerns, particularly in the area of energy efficiency, which was established as a national priority.
“A first version of the national energy efficiency strategy was developed in 2014, followed by a second version in 2019; however, neither version was approved, thereby hindering the implementation of the planned measures,” the report highlights. It also emphasizes that insufficient financial resources, delays in the publication of implementing regulations for Law 47.09, and the lack of an incentive system have severely hampered the execution of energy efficiency measures.
On the hydrocarbons front, the Court of Auditors notes that, since the adoption of the SEN, the reserve stocks of various petroleum products have consistently remained below the required 60-day level. For example, stocks of gas, gasoline, and butane did not exceed 32, 37, and 31 days, respectively, in 2023, reflecting a failure to maintain adequate reserves.
“Progress in diversifying the points of entry for petroleum products has been minimal,” the Court adds, noting that since 2009, only a single new entry point has been established, at the Tangier Med port.
Finally, with regard to the natural gas sector, which is crucial for reducing dependence on coal in electricity generation, the report underscores the sector’s struggles, pointing out that despite numerous attempts since 2011, no official strategy has yet been adopted for its development, leaving this vital area of energy transition stagnating.
The post National energy strategy faces major setbacks, Court of Auditors reports appeared first on HESPRESS English – Morocco News.
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