Morocco is inviting bids for the construction of its 500MW solar power station at a cost US$9 billion. The solar plant will be located in the southern town of Ouarzazate, where Morocco's ruler, King Mohammed, announced the launch of the nationwide solar project last year.

"We are advancing smoothly in our plan to implement this grand project. We will tender for the Ourzazate station at the end of February 2010," Energy Minister, Amina Benkhadra, commented at the inauguration of a gas storage facility at the port of Jorf Lasfar, outside Casablanca.