Morocco : Al Haouz earthquake... All energy facilities are operating normally
- 29 September 2023 / News / 659 / Hejer
The Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development confirmed that all energy installations are operating normally, following the earthquake that struck Al Haouz Province and neighboring provinces on September 8th.
The Ministry explained, in a statement, that “with the exception of some minor damage to some equipment at the Nour Ouarzazate station, which was repaired, all energy installations are operating normally,” adding that the nuclear facilities, for their part, did not know of “any significant damage.”
Regarding the situation of the mines in the Al Haouz and Taroudant provinces, the Ministry recorded that the activities of these mines “did not know any fundamental change as a result of the earthquake, so technical cells were created, in coordination with the mining companies concerned, and were assigned the tasks of assessing and counting the damages and potential risks by carrying out a careful examination of all subterranean mining exploitation.” And its surface installations.”
In this regard, the Ministry emphasized the routine nature of underground exploration and extraction activities in accordance with the tolerance books of exploration and mining companies that require compliance with environmental assessments and strict safety and environmental standards.
After examining the situation of the oil infrastructure for storage and distribution, especially in the areas affected by the earthquake, the Ministry recorded that “with the exception of some gasoline stations that suffered some minor damage, other facilities did not know any damage.” There was also no shortage in the supply of energy materials, especially gasoline, gasoline, butane gas, and aviation fuel, so that the Ministry’s services closely tracked the process of the arrival of packed trucks to the affected areas in order to maintain the stock and ensure the supply of these areas in the best conditions and on an ongoing basis.”
According to the report, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development took the initiative, since the first hours following the earthquake, to establish a crisis cell in the Ministry in coordination with all its affiliated institutions, so that various work teams were sent to the affected areas to inspect the state of the energy infrastructure and the state of the supply of energy materials in order to assess the damage. Verify the performance of these facilities and take the necessary measures to restore matters to normal as soon as possible, including mobilizing energy and mining companies to contribute to opening roads and corridors that sustained material damage as a result of this earthquake.”
In this context, the report adds, the teams of the Ministry’s institutions rushed to identify the various damages that befell the distribution network. They also rushed to restore medium voltage current to all electricity distribution stations in Al Haouz Province, and to isolate the cables conducting electricity and the damaged low-voltage networks, which pose a danger to the population. .
The source recorded that the teams were able to gradually restore electrical power in all affected areas and restore public lighting, while the teams of the National Office of Electricity and Potable Water continue to monitor and follow up on the performance of all electrical installations of the distribution network in the region in a real-time and continuous manner.
The same source indicated that to enlighten national public opinion and provide it with scientific data and data, the Geology Directorate, in its capacity as the National Geological Service, held a working meeting for a cell of experts with the aim of studying the geoscientific aspects of the Al Haouz earthquake and its effects on the region, where the experts worked to prepare a reference report and propose the measures that should be taken.
According to the communication, the committee issued a set of recommendations, the most prominent of which is the need to review the seismic zone distribution map of the law related to earthquake-resistant construction, and to include the data available among decision-makers and village groups during the various stages of rebuilding in the affected areas.
On the other hand, the communication indicates that, following field inspections by the Ministry’s departments regarding the environmental situation of the affected areas, especially with regard to solid and liquid waste and their impact on the affected population in shelter centers, the Minister made an inspection visit to some of the affected areas in the Al Haouz and Marrakesh provinces, accompanied by representatives of the local authorities and a group of officials from The Ministry is in order to assess this situation and identify the necessary needs of the population in this area, with the aim of keeping up with and supporting the implementation of the general reconstruction and rehabilitation program for the areas affected by the Al Haouz earthquake in accordance with the High Royal Instructions.
The Minister and her accompanying delegation also made a field visit to the earthquake-resistant village housing project, which is being developed by the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency in the Marrakesh Province.
The Ministry stressed that its interests remain mobilized in order to work with various parties in order to respond to the needs of the affected population and to support the large program for reconstruction and general rehabilitation of the affected areas, which was launched at the initiative of His Majesty the King, and which His Majesty wanted as a model for integrated and balanced territorial development.
source: https://alaoual.com/