PM Barzani Announces 24-Hour Electricity in Kurdistan Region’s Major Cities
“As we promised, 24-hour electricity has reached the centers of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, and Halabja ahead of schedule,” Prime Minister Barzani said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced on Thursday that 24-hour electricity has now been established in the centers of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, and Halabja under the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Runaki program.
“As we promised, 24-hour electricity has reached the centers of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, and Halabja ahead of schedule,” Prime Minister Barzani said. He emphasized that Halabja is the first province in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq to achieve full access to 24-hour electricity.
Launched in October 2024, the Runaki program has already provided around 4 million citizens—more than 50% of the Kurdistan Region’s population—and over 115,000 businesses with uninterrupted power. The Prime Minister described the achievement as a milestone reached in less than a year.
Barzani highlighted the broader impact of the program, noting that more than 3,200 neighborhood diesel generators have been decommissioned, leading to cleaner air and safer neighborhoods. “Statistics show that households and businesses have changed their consumption habits: they use less, and nearly 80% of participants now pay less than they previously did for private generators,” he stated.
The Prime Minister underlined that reliable electricity is not merely a utility, but a foundation for social welfare, economic growth, and environmental health.
Looking ahead, Barzani reaffirmed his government’s commitment to extending the program to all parts of the Kurdistan Region: “Our commitment remains strong—every home and business will have 24-hour electricity by the end of 2026.”
He also extended an offer of cooperation to the federal government. “We are ready to assist other parts of Iraq in providing 24-hour electricity,” he concluded.
The Runaki program is designed to phase out reliance on costly private generators and ensure every household has access to continuous electricity, significantly improving both quality of life and environmental sustainability in the Kurdistan Region.
