Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) has secured $1.4bn in finance for the planned expansion of Jorf Lasfar coal-fired power plant in Morocco. The plant currently comprises four generating sets with a combined capacity of 1.356gw. Two new units with a combined capacity of 700mw will be added, taking the plant’s total capacity to 2.056gw. The first of the new units is scheduled to be commissioned in December 2013 and the second in April 2014. TAQA said on 28 January that the expansion is now 80% complete and that overall costs remain within the $1.6bn budget.

Jorf Lasfar is already the largest coal-fired power plant in the Middle East and North Africa and the first independent power producer (IPP) in Morocco. Majid Iraqui, TAQA’s managing director for North Africa, said that “the expansion of Jorf Lasfar will increase Moroccan power generation capacity by more than 10%.” The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Units 5 and 6 was awarded in 2010 to Japan’s Mitsui and Company and South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering and Construction. (CONTINUED - 251 WORDS)