Yemen's Ministry of Electricity and Energy and China National Corporation for Overseas Economic Cooperation (CCOEC) have signed a deal to construct three gas-fired power plants in Yemen.

The power plants, each with the capacity of between 400MW and 750MW, will be built in the governorate of Shabwa, and in the cities of Dhamar and Hodeida, according to Yemeni agency Saba.

Under the contract, the China-based firm will also construct transmission stations and a pipeline to transport natural gas from the Safer area in the city of Marib to Dhamar, Hodeida and Ma'bar.

Prior to construction of the power plants, the Yemeni ministry will conduct the feasibility study on the projects and then the two sides will coordinate to begin the work.

In addition, they have signed another deal to build two solar power units in Yemen's capital Sanaa and the archipelago of Socotra on the Indian Ocean, the agency reported.

The 1MW unit to be built on Socotra will aim to conserve the natural environment on the archipelago. The other unit will have a capacity of a half-megawatt capacity.

Construction of these solar power units is expected to start after nine months and CCOEC would conduct the studies on the project in the near future.