Morocco has launched an international tender seeking advisors for its plan to boost liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, state-owned power utility Onee said.

The plan - worth up to $4.6 billion - includes the import of up to 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas by 2025, the construction of a jetty, terminal, pipelines and gas-fired power plants.

Onee said the last date for submitting bids for the tender is October 21. It will open bids on the same day at 10 am Moroccan time (GMT+1).

Morocco, a net energy importer, aims to diversify energy supplies and reduce its dependence on oil and coal imports. It is also developing a plan to build 4 gigawatts of renewable energy.

Jorf Lasfar, where the terminal would be built, is situated on the Atlantic coast near to where state-run phosphate company OCP and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) have facilities.

The jetty and pipelines are expected to each cost around $600 million to build, while the terminal is seen costing $800 million. Onee wants to build four gas-fired power plants of 600 MW of each in the same area and near the northern city of Tangier.

Pipelines will also feed industries in Jorf Lasfar and the more developed regions around Casablanca and Tangier.

Morocco has started negotiations to secure its imports with exporting countries --including Qatar and Russia -- and private companies, the country's energy minister told Reuters earlier this year.

The North African kingdom is already burning 1 bcm of gas annually, including around 70 million produced locally, but gas is still hovering at only 5 percent of the country's energy bill.-Reuters