(Ecofin Agency) - Mali has kicked off the construction of a major solar power plant with the help of Russia. This project comes after the two countries recently signed a civil nuclear agreement.

Malian Energy Minister Bintou Camara announced the construction of the solar photovoltaic plant. The facility will be the largest in West Africa, she said on national television ORTM.

"This plant, the largest in the country and even in the sub-region, will help reduce the current electricity shortage," Camara stated. The 200 MW solar plant will cover 314 hectares in Sanankoroba, near Bamako. Grigory Nazarov, director of Novawind, a subsidiary of Russian company Rosatom, said the plant will boost Mali's electricity production by 10%.

The country is currently facing a severe electricity crisis that affects various economic sectors. In recent weeks, power outages have lasted up to 18 hours a day. The director general of the national electricity company said the country needs 500 million liters of fuel to meet its electricity needs for 2024.