Extreme high temperatures will sweep across North Africa in the summer of 2026, causing a simultaneous surge in electricity demand in many countries. Morocco's electricity demand has reached a historic high, and the pressure on the power grid continues to increase. The local authorities have accelerated the expansion of the power grid and the layout of new energy, which not only solves the bottleneck of power supply, but also creates broad space for Chinese enterprises to expand into the North African energy market.

The electricity load continues to rise

In July 2026, the peak electricity demand in Morocco exceeded 8400 megawatts, setting a new historical record. Compared with 7990 megawatts in the summer of 2025, it increased by 410 megawatts, an increase of nearly 5%. The large-scale use of refrigeration equipment under high temperature weather is the core incentive. Looking at the North African market, extreme heat has put pressure on the power grids of many countries, with Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt all experiencing peak electricity consumption. Electricity security has become an important issue for regional development. At present, the peak electricity consumption of 8400 megawatts in Morocco is close to 80% of the national power system's carrying capacity, and the operating capacity of the power grid continues to tighten.

Hidden shortcomings in energy transformation

Morocco has confirmed that the carrying capacity of its power system from 2026 to 2030 will be 10429 megawatts, an increase of 1091 megawatts compared to the previous cycle. The expansion pace of the power grid is basically matching the growth rate of electricity demand, and the electricity market is in a tight balance state. The country has a significant advantage in renewable energy installation, with a total installed capacity of over 12000 megawatts, accounting for 45.4% of new energy installation, and a target of over 55% by 2030. However, the proportion of new energy generation is only 27%, and there is a significant gap between installed capacity and power generation efficiency. Insufficient grid connected consumption capacity has become the core weakness of energy transformation. Keywords: Moroccan electricity, energy transition, North African new energy

Full release of market opportunities

In order to solve the problem of power development, Morocco continues to increase investment in the energy sector. In the first quarter of 2026, nearly 3000 megawatts of new energy projects were approved, with a total investment of 206 billion dirhams. It plans to add 11.6 GW of new energy installed capacity and 2.6 GW of energy storage capacity, and has also received 170 million euros in financing support from the European Investment Bank. The demand for large-scale power grid upgrades, energy storage construction, and equipment operation and maintenance continues to explode. Chinese enterprises have taken the lead in entering the market and won key projects for local gas turbine peak shaving. They are expected to continue to deepen their cultivation of the North African power track and share the dividends of regional energy transformation.Editor/Min Jing