Iraq has signed a $419 million deal with Russia's state-owned Technoprom Export to resume construction of the country's largest power station after work came to a halt at the time of the 1991 Gulf War.

Under the contract between the Electricity Authority and the Russian company, Technoprom Export was to complete work on the 1,680 MW Yousifiya power station.

The contract, signed under Iraq's oil deal with the UN, will be implemented as soon as the company receives the UN sanctions committee's approval.

The Russian firm is expected to start up the first generating unit in the station within 32 months while a period of 65 months has been set to complete the whole station.