Feb 16 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX :
* RIO TINTO TO BUILD FIRST SOLAR PLANT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA TO POWER IRON ORE MINE
* APPROVED A $98 MILLION (100 PER CENT BASIS) INVESTMENT IN A NEW SOLAR PLANT AT KOODAIDERI MINE IN PILBARA, AUSTRALIA
* THE PLANT, CO'S FIRST COMPANY-OWNED SOLAR FACILITY, WILL CONSIST OF AN ESTIMATED 100,000 PANELS, COVERING AN AREA OF 105 HECTARES
* ALSO APPROVED FOR A LITHIUM-ION BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM TO HELP POWER ITS ENTIRE PILBARA POWER NETWORK
* CONSTRUCTION OF SOLAR PLANT EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR, SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT APPROVALS, AND IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN 2021