Iran and Armenia have started the construction of a joint hydro-electric power plant (HPP) on the Aras River, which borders the two countries.

The construction of the plant started on Wednesday in a ceremony attended by Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan and Iran’s Energy Minister Majid Namjou.

With the completion of the project, some 1,700 megawatts of electricity will be generated annually for domestic production in Iran, said managing director of East Azarbaijan Regional Water Company, Arsalan Hashemi.

According to Hashemi, the HPP has the capacity to produce 260 megawatts and includes two 130-megawatt plants, one in Iran and the other one in Armenia.

The project is financed with USD 560 and 500 million in credits respectively from Armenia and Iran.

Iran and Armenia agreed to build the joint plant during Namjou’s one-day trip to Armenia in June.

The plant is being constructed simultaneously in Armenia’s Meghri and Iran's Qarachilar regions.

press tv/281

News ID 183300