Chinese companies to help build hydropower plant in W. Mongolia

ULAN BATOR, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia signed an agreement on Friday to build a hydropower plant in the western part of the country with Chinese companies, according to Mongolia's energy ministry.

The Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), along with PowerChina Chengdu Engineering Corp Ltd, will build the Erdeneburen hydropower plant on Khovd River in the Erdeneburen soum (administrative subdivision) of Khovd province in the coming five years, with a soft loan from the Chinese government, the Ministry of Energy said in a statement.

The 90-megawatt hydropower plant is considered crucial to ensuring long-term energy supplies to western Mongolia and laying the foundation for the development of renewable energy in the region.