Afourer Pumped Storage Station

The Afourer Pumped Storage Station is a pumped storage hydroelectric scheme located in the hills above Afourer of Azilal Province, Morocco. The scheme consists of two power stations with a combined installed capacity of 465 MW. Construction on the project began in 2001 and was complete in 2004. It was funded by the Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development at a cost of US$220 million.

Design and operation
Water for the scheme is derived from the Aït Ouarda Dam on the El Abid River at 32.10889°N, -6.50944°W, just downstream of the Bin el Ouidane Dam. Water from the dam is pumped up 600 m in elevation via Step 1 to the Upper Afourer Reservoir at 32.17556°N, -6.53389°W which has a capacity of 1260000 m3 and lies at an elevation of 1280 m above sea level. Step 1's power and pumping station contains 2 x 172.5 MW reversible Francis turbines. From the upper reservoir, water can be released back to Step 1 for power generation or released 800 m down in elevation to the Lower Afourer Reservoir at 32.21°N, -6.51694°W which lies at an elevation of 480 m and also has a capacity of 1260000 m3. The power station at the lower reservoir, Step 2, contains 2 x 60 MW reversible Francis turbines From the lower reservoir, water can be pumped back into the upper reservoir or released into a canal near Afourer for use in irrigation.