Algeria plans power export to Spain via Morocco

ALGIERS, May 10 (Reuters) - Algeria state power utility Sonelgaz plans to export electricity to Spain by building a power grid link via neighbouring Morocco, its chief executive said on Saturday.

Nouredine Bouterfa said Sonelgaz and Moroccan power utility ONE would set up a joint venture for the plan, which would first need an agreement on the transit price.

"The project is on the table," he said in an interview with the official news agency APS.

"The two parties must first agree on the price for electricity transit."

Morocco has already started taking steps to carry out the project, he added.

"Morocco is currently finalising a line of 400 kilowatts, which will link up with Sonelgaz network in the west (of Algeria) and carry electricity to Spain," he said.

Morocco's ONE, which had doubled the capacity of its interconnector to Spain to 1400 MW last year, has a Spanish power market trading licence. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed; Editing by Alison Williams)