Kingdom
Railway: 164 Million Dirhams to Electrify 12 Substations on the Kenitra–Marrakech Line
ONCF strengthens the Kenitra–Marrakech railway axis with a project to electrify 12 substations, connected to ONEE’s 60 kV network, for an investment exceeding 164 million dirhams. This strategic initiative aims to modernize railway infrastructure, improve service regularity, and prepare the national network to handle growth in passenger and freight traffic.
The National Railway Office (ONCF) has launched a new tender to strengthen the electrical supply of the conventional line connecting Kenitra to Marrakech, with particular emphasis on connecting 12 substations to the 60 kV network of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE-BE).
This strategic project is part of the ongoing modernization of the country’s railway infrastructure, as passenger and freight traffic continues to grow on one of the main axes of the national network.
The project is structured into two complementary parts. The first, called the “overhead lot,” involves connecting 7 substations located primarily in the provinces of Berrechid and El-Jadida. Among these sites are strategic locations, such as the Grand Stade, Nouaceur new city, and the new airport terminal. The budget allocated to this lot is approximately 18.02 million dirhams, with an execution period set at 12 months from the notification of the service order.
The second part, the “underground lot,” concerns 5 substations located in dense urban areas, notably in Zenata, Aïn Sebaâ, Casa Sud, Sidi Maârouf, and Settat. The underground works, which are more technically complex, require a significantly larger budget, estimated at 146.2 million dirhams, and must be completed within a period of 14 months.
The overall project budget thus exceeds 164 million dirhams, confirming the importance placed on this investment by ONCF.
The Office emphasizes that all works and studies must be carried out according to ONEE-BE’s technical specifications and applicable safety standards, to ensure a stable electrical supply capable of meeting the current and future needs of rail traffic.
This reinforcement of electrical infrastructure runs parallel to the major projects already underway, such as the electrification of existing lines and the continuation of work on the Kenitra–Marrakech high-speed line (LGV), a structuring project for the country’s north–south connections.
This initiative illustrates ONCF’s commitment to investing in foundational infrastructure to improve operational reliability, reduce service interruptions, and prepare the network to absorb growing demand.
