Saudi starts work with SoftBank on 200 gigawatt solar plan: minister

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has already started implementing an agreement with SoftBank Group's <9984.T> Vision Fund to provide 200 gigawatts of solar power in the kingdom, energy minister Khalid al-Falih said at a post-budget event. The kingdom's Public Investment Fund agreed to invest $45 billion in the giant tech fund led by SoftBank and the pair are working with other parties on a number of large-scale, multi-billion dollar projects relating to the solar industry. The PIF and private sector will fund renewable energy projects in the kingdom, Falih said. (Reporting By Marwa Rashad and Stephen Kalin; Writing by Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Tom Arnold)