More Than 90% of Kurdistan Region Now Has 24-Hour Electricity Under Runaki Program
Across the Kurdistan Region, households that paid less than 38,000 Iraqi dinars and consumed less than 550 kilowatt-hours (kWh) generally spent less on electricity than under the previous system.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Electricity on Tuesday released new billing insights for the May cycle of its Runaki electricity program, revealing that more than 90% of the Kurdistan Region now benefits from 24-hour electricity while around 80% of households continue to pay less for electricity than under the previous system.
According to the ministry, most households were billed for a period of approximately 41 days. Data from the Runaki program shows that the majority of families—particularly low-income households—are paying lower electricity bills despite receiving uninterrupted power.
The ministry said that, across the Kurdistan Region, households that paid less than 38,000 Iraqi dinars and consumed less than 550 kilowatt-hours (kWh) generally spent less on electricity than under the previous system.
The figures differed across the provinces. In Erbil, households that paid less than 43,000 IQD while consuming under 610 kWh generally saw lower electricity costs. In Sulaimani, the threshold was 32,000 IQD and 465 kWh. In Duhok, households paying less than 41,000 IQD and using under 620 kWh also paid less than before, while in Halabja, the corresponding figures were 30,000 IQD and 423 kWh.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani first announced the Runaki program in October 2024. The KRG Council of Ministers unanimously approved the initiative and its progressive electricity tariff system in May 2025 as part of broader efforts to modernize the power sector.
The government aims to extend 24-hour electricity to every home and business across the Kurdistan Region by the end of 2026, completing the full rollout of the Runaki program.