Construction of the first stage of solar power plants in the exclusion zone of Chornobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) could start soon, Deputy Energy and Coal Industry Minister for European Integration Natalia Boiko has said.

"We visited jointly with Minister [Ostap] Semerak Informal Ministerial Council in Energy Community in Vienna. The minister informed colleagues from other states that there are around 60 potential investors. There is large interest to this. I think that we would see the first stage soon," Boiko told Interfax-Ukraine in Astana on Monday.

She also said that the launch of all of these power plants is a serious process.

The deputy minister said that the fact that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed the bill on the new electricity market would trigger the arrival of investors.

"We have a lot of investors who are even ready to invest in "green" [power plants]. They were waiting for the launch of the market, as until the bill is signed and they do not see the text it was hard to understand our top priorities in developing the market," Boiko said.

As reported, a land parcel of 1,172 ha was selected in the exclusion zone for solar power plants.