April 25 (Bloomberg) -- MST Technology, an Israeli company, plans to build a solar power plant in South Africa for 48 billion rand ($6.3 billion), Business Day reported, citing M.K. Malefane, a South African representative of the company.

The five-year project may generate 5,000 megawatts, helping to relieve a power shortage in South Africa that is expected to last until 2013, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said.

Power may be exported from the plant later, the newspaper said, adding MST also plans to build a facility in neighboring Lesotho.

To contact the reporters on this story: Carli Lourens in Johannesburg at clourens@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: April 25, 2008 02:13 EDT