His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, attended the inauguration of two new power plants in Zouérate, located in Tiris Zemmour. The event is part of Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière’s (SNIM) efforts to address increasing energy needs and support sustainable development in the region.
The newly inaugurated solar power plant has a capacity of 12 megawatts and features 21,840 photovoltaic panels, each producing 550 watts. It is equipped with 34 inverter units to ensure compatibility with the local grid. Alongside this facility, a thermal power plant with a capacity of 30 megawatts was also opened. This plant operates using three electric generators that can run on heavy fuel oil or diesel and includes three energy distribution stations—one at 11 kilovolts and two at 33 kilovolts. Infrastructure supporting these plants includes parallel power lines for efficient transfer, cooling towers, fuel storage facilities totaling 3,000 cubic meters, as well as administrative offices and maintenance workshops.
The purpose of these projects is to boost electricity production for Zouérate, F’Derick, and neighboring areas; support SNIM’s industrial activities; meet growing social and economic energy demands; and increase clean energy’s share within SNIM’s operations.
“The inauguration of these two power plants marks an important step in SNIM’s commitment to sustainable development and meeting the growing energy needs in Zouérate. The share of clean energy in these two projects approaches 29%, which makes us even prouder to contribute to providing environmentally friendly and reliable energy, supporting the economic and social growth of the region, while adhering to the highest standards of efficiency and sustainability,” said Ahmedou Ould Yahya, Director of Electricity and Water at SNIM.
President Ghazouani also laid the foundation stone for an additional unit at the Oued El Gah water desalination plant. This second extension will add a new desalination unit capable of processing 1,000 cubic meters per day. The project is funded by SNIM’s charitable foundation. Due to limited freshwater resources and fluctuating saltwater availability in Zouérate’s desert environment, SNIM has turned increasingly to groundwater desalination.