KRG PM Says 4 Million Citizens Now Have 24-Hour Electricity; Halabja Becomes First Province Fully Covered

Peregraf 

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) says nearly 4 million citizens and more than 115,000 businesses across the region are now receiving uninterrupted 24-hour electricity under its Runaki (Lighting) project.

KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced the figures on Thursday, calling the program a “major achievement” in ending decades of electricity shortages in the Kurdistan Region.

“Nearly 4 million citizens across the Kurdistan Region — and over 115,000 businesses — now enjoy 24-hour electricity through the KRG’s Runaki program,” Barzani said.

He added that Halabja has become the first province in Iraq to be fully switched to round-the-clock power, marking a historic milestone for the program.

In Sulaymaniyah city, central neighborhoods also received 24-hour electricity for the first time, allowing 86 private neighborhood generators to be shut down.

The Runaki project was launched by Barzani in October 2024 in Erbil. It is designed to gradually expand national electricity to every household and business in the Kurdistan Region, replacing dependence on expensive and polluting private generators. 

Criticism Over Costs

Despite the government’s celebration, the initiative has faced pushback from opposition MPs and activists, who describe it as the “commercialization of electricity.” They argue that the tariffs are too high for families with modest incomes and do not match the region’s economic realities.

Several legal challenges have been mounted against the project, but so far all have failed.

The KRG has defended the program, stressing that it is a state-owned initiative managed by the Ministry of Electricity. “The project is progressing very well. People should not be worried because the KRG has no intention or goal of creating a burden on the people,” the government said in a statement. 

Citizen Reactions

According to a Peregraf report, the new electricity system has become a frequent topic of discussion in households and social gatherings. Many families are working to adapt by cutting unnecessary usage and buying low-consumption appliances to keep their bills manageable.

While concerns remain over affordability, many citizens welcome the elimination of daily blackouts and the reduction of noise and air pollution caused by private generators.

With 4 million people already benefiting and Halabja standing as the first fully covered province, the KRG says its next objective is to extend 24-hour electricity to the rest of the Kurdistan Region.