Lawrence Park-based GE Transportation announced today that it plans to enter a joint venture to build a diesel engine plant in Kazakhstan.

The plant, which would serve the Commonwealth of Independent States that make up the former Soviet Union, is being built in a joint venture with TransMashDiesel and JASC National Company Kazakhstan Temir Holy.

Together, the three partners expect to invest $90 million for a plant that would build about 400 Evolution series engines a year.

Stephan Koller, a spokesman for GE Transportation, said building engine kits for the new plant would represent new work for the company’s existing engine plant in Grove City.