KRG launching energy projects to increase electricity supply
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Electricity is set to launch several energy projects that aim to increase electricity production as part of efforts to provide round-the-clock power supply.
In recent weeks, people in the Kurdistan Region have received a minimum of 16 hours per day, a relative increase from previous months, amid rising energy demands.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity in the region, Kamel Muhammad al-Qazaz, told Kurdistan 24 that as the government completes enough energy projects, the goal of providing 24-hour electricity to the public will become easier to reach.
He added that the smart electricity meters, which the ministry has been installing since 2019, will improve energy efficiency. Kurdistan Region's electricity grid has long been strained by financial crises and continuously increasing demand.
The Director-General of Electric Power Production in the Kurdistan Region, Diyar Baban, told Kurdistan 24 that the region cannot rehabilitate a number of power stations but will hand it over to the Iraqi Federal Ministry of Electricity for repairs per a recent agreement.
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The agreement stipulates that, after the repairs, Baghdad will buy energy from the stations.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), headed by Masrour Barzani, has stated several times that improving the region's electric grid is among its top priorities.
The Kurdistan Region produces up to 3,500 megawatts, providing up to 20 hours of electricity per day. The supply decreases as the demand increases.
Editing by Khrush Najari