Alassane Ouattara (C), President of Cote d'Ivoire, attends the foundation laying ceremony of the Gribo-Popoli hydropower plant in Soubre, western Cote d'Ivoire, on Nov. 2, 2017. Foundation stone was laid Thursday for a 112 megawatts (MW) hydroelectric dam on Sassandra River in western Cote d'Ivoire, the same day the country inaugurated its biggest dam Soubre 15 km upstream, built by a Chinese company. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

SOUBRE, Cote d'Ivoire, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Foundation stone has been laid for a 112 megawatts (MW) hydroelectric dam on Sassandra River in western Cote d'Ivoire, as the country inaugurated its biggest dam Soubre 15 km upstream, built by a Chinese company.

The Gribo-Popoli hydropower plant will be built by Sinohydro Corporation Limited, the same company that built the 275 MW Soubre.

The Gribo-Popoli project, will take 40 months to complete.

"The Government of Cote d'Ivoire is very satisfied with the quality and speed of the construction of the Soubre hydroelectric dam," Alassane Ouattara, President of Cote d'Ivoire, said at the inauguration ceremony held in front of the dam.

Photo taken on Nov. 2, 2017 shows the Soubre hydroelectric power stationnear the city of Soubre in Cote d'Ivoir. Cote d'Ivoire on Thursday inaugurated the Chinese-built Soubre hydroelectric power station, the largest of its kind in the West African country. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

He expressed hopes that the Gribo-Popoli dam will be built "with the same determination."

Cote d'Ivoire aims to push its power production capacity to 4,000 MW by 2020.

Thursday's inauguration of Soubre hydro plant adds to its existing capacity of around 2,000 MW, also bringing the hydro power on par with thermal power in its energy mix.

Cote d'Ivoire is a key power producer and supplier in West Africa.