Morocco and the United States have signed an agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation, according to Moroccan energy minister Mustapha Mansouri.
“Morocco plans to develop its own energy resources, including the use of nuclear to produce electricity at low cost,” said Mr Mansouri. “Several studies were launched to determine the sites for small and medium-sized plants. We hope to integrate in the future such plants in the national power network.” Morocco has no oil of its own and imported more than $1.2 billion of crude oil last year to meet its growing energy demands.
Mr Mansouri said that the agreement was an “amendment and extension of the 1980 agreement signed between the United States and Morocco concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy.” According to Mr Mansouri, Morocco has already signed an accord with General Atomic over the construction of a 2MWe reactor in Maamora forest, 15km north of the capital Rabat.
