Palestinian officials said they have inaugurated their first solar panel plant as part of a plan to reduce their dependence on Israeli power sources.

Mohammed Mustafa, head of the Palestinian Authority government’s investment fund, said that Wednesday’s plant opening in the ancient West Bank city of Jericho is one of four planned plants.

One was donated by China.

He noted that Palestinians rely almost entirely on power imported from Israel, and the new plants are part of a long-term project to reduce that by 50 percent over the next decade.

This May 21, 2019 photo shows solar panels at the newly inaugurated Nour Jericho solar plant, in the West Bank city of Jericho. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

The four solar panel stations should cover about 30% of Palestinian power consumption, he added.

Palestinians in the West Bank consume some $700 million a year in electricity, he said.

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