ONEE: the energy bill is likely to be steep

47.7 billion dirhams. This would be the amount of the energy bill for 2022. A series of measures have been taken by the National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water to manage market risk and guarantee the supply of fuels.

Rising fuel prices, as well as electricity prices around the world, will have negative repercussions on the economic and financial balance of the National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE). This was confirmed by its general manager, Abderrahim El Hafidi. The official also put forward a figure of 47.7 billion dirhams, as being the amount of the energy bill for 2022.

During his appearance before the Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and the Environment in the House of Representatives, El Hafidi noted that the energy bill amounted, on average, to nearly 21 billion dollars. during the last four years.

In this context, the managing director expects “an increase of more than 25 billion dirhams in energy and fuel purchases compared to 2021, mainly due to soaring prices at the international level”.

Measures to cushion the shock

In order to minimize the impact of the economic constraints faced by ONEE, a series of measures have been announced to manage market risk and guarantee fuel supplies. Precisely, El Hafidi mentioned the development of an emergency action plan to deal with the constraints arising from the cessation of the operation of natural gas power plants, which have been replaced by alternative production methods.

The CEO of ONEE also spoke about the carrying out of studies and consultations to be carried out with the aim of providing the solutions and measures necessary to supply natural gas to the stations of Tahaddart and Ain Beni Mathar, in coordination with the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development and the partners concerned.

ONEE’s action also plans to guarantee the reserve stock of fuel necessary to ensure the continuity of the operation of the means of electricity production, as well as to conclude contracts for the purchase of coal in sufficient quantity to cover the needs of the office in the medium term until September 2022.

In addition, it is a question of improving the policy of purchase and management of market risks and financial risks affecting the balances of the office, through the realization of the project of trading room.

Hydrocarbons take center stage

In his presentation, the Director General of ONEE noted that hydrocarbons represent a significant percentage of the cost of producing electrical energy, which reached 44% in 2021, and is expected to reach 64% in 2022.

In this sense, the DG noted that “the office, in coordination with the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development and the institutions concerned, has set about developing a myriad of emergency measures in the field of energy efficiency and demand management. The aim is to mitigate the impact of the global energy crisis on the electricity system”.

In detail, it is the launch of a vast communication and awareness campaign to promote the rational consumption of electricity, in addition to the use of energy-efficient technologies and equipment. In this wake, it will also be a question of raising the awareness of large industrial consumers in order to engage in the national effort to reduce the pressure on the electricity system.

This without forgetting the promotion of bi-hourly pricing reserved for the office’s large low-voltage customers. It should be noted that the expected annual impacts could result in a reduction of approximately 100 megawatts in demand during peak hours, and the development of programs at the national level to introduce high energy efficiency equipment, in particular for domestic use and services, and a project to replace 10 million lamps with LEDs.

ONEE’s approach will reduce demand by 275 megawatts during peak hours and save 675 gigawatt hours per year, ie a saving of 740 MDH on the cost of fuel.

Sanae Raqui / ECO Inspirations