Koya to Join ‘Runaki’ Project as Kurdistan Advances Toward 24-Hour Electricity
District to Receive Round-the-Clock Power Starting February 28 Under KRG Development Plan
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is set to expand its 24-hour electricity initiative to the Koya district on February 28, marking another step in its region-wide power development program.
Tariq Haidari, mayor of Koya, told Kurdistan24 on Thursday that the district will officially join the government’s “Runaki” (Lighting) project at the end of this month, enabling residents to receive uninterrupted electricity service.
The move follows earlier remarks by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who pledged that 24-hour electricity would be implemented across the entire Kurdistan Region by the end of 2026.
He made the commitment during the recent launch of the government’s “e-Psula” digital payment platform, emphasizing that all areas would gradually be integrated into the Runaki project.
As part of the rollout, the KRG has introduced financial incentives to support households transitioning to the new system. Authorities announced that until March 12, any payments made through the e-Psula platform—whether for Runaki electricity bills or any older debts—will receive a 20 percent discount.
The Runaki project represents a structural overhaul of the Kurdistan Region’s electricity sector, long challenged by supply shortages, reliance on private neighborhood generators, and seasonal fluctuations in power distribution.
For years, residents depended on a mixed system of limited public electricity supplemented by costly private generator services.
Under the new model, the government aims to provide continuous, state-managed electricity while phasing out dependence on private generators. The reform also seeks to modernize billing systems, reduce waste and technical losses, and improve revenue collection through digital platforms such as e-Psula.
The electricity initiative is part of a broader governance reform agenda led by the KRG, focusing on service delivery, digitalization, and infrastructure modernization. Officials have described uninterrupted electricity as a cornerstone for economic growth, investment attraction, and improved quality of life.
With Koya’s inclusion, the government moves closer to its stated objective of achieving full 24-hour electricity coverage across the Kurdistan Region by the end of the year, a milestone that would mark one of the most significant public service transformations in the Region’s recent history.