Venezuela’s national assembly has approved plans for the construction of a cement plant by government holding company Corporació Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) and Iranian firm Edhasse Sanat, local newspaper El Universal reported. 

Total investment in the plant could top US$196m. 

The plant will have the capacity to produce 1Mta of Portland cement and will supply the government’s public housing construction projects in the country, according to the report. 

Construction will consist of three phases. The first phase, which officials expect to be completed in 18 months, will include the construction of a clinker mill, a 6500t-capacity silo and an area to bag the cement. 

The second phase, expected to wrap up in three years, will include works to finish plant construction, while the third phase will consist of test runs and kicking off the plant’s operations.