Iraqi PM Orders Increased Electricity and Fuel Supplies to Kirkuk
On the administrative front, the prime minister called for accelerating efforts to select Kirkuk’s governor through consensus among the province’s national and religious components.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has issued a series of directives to address electricity shortages, rising generator costs, and security and administrative challenges in Kirkuk, including increasing the province’s electricity and fuel allocations and referring alleged violations by private generators to the Integrity Commission.
On Tuesday, al-Zaidi chaired an expanded meeting to review the overall situation in Kirkuk, including administrative developments, public services, and security conditions.
According to a statement from the prime minister’s media office, the meeting was attended by the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, the ministers of interior and justice, the minister of state for foreign affairs, the head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Commission, senior security officials, and the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) parliamentary bloc.
During the meeting, al-Zaidi ordered an increase in Kirkuk’s share of national electricity supplies to extend daily power provision and meet residents’ needs. He also directed an increase in fuel allocations for private generators to ensure their continued operation and help address electricity shortages.
On the administrative front, the prime minister called for accelerating efforts to select Kirkuk’s governor through consensus among the province’s national and religious components, stressing the importance of ending the administrative vacuum and maintaining peaceful coexistence.
Al-Zaidi also instructed Kirkuk’s Operations Command and security agencies to take the necessary measures to maintain stability. He stressed that security forces must handle demonstrations in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, protecting protesters’ rights while preventing damage to public and private property.
Addressing public protests over rising electricity prices charged by private generators, the prime minister ordered the entire case to be referred to the Integrity Commission to investigate alleged violations and take legal action against those found responsible.
He further called for field monitoring to ensure the implementation of the directives and urged officials to intensify efforts to improve public services and address residents’ demands.
The meeting comes amid growing public frustration over electricity shortages and the rising cost of generator-supplied power in Kirkuk.
In recent days, reduced national electricity supplies and higher generator prices, which have reached 18,000 Iraqi dinars per ampere, have triggered protests in several neighborhoods across the city. Demonstrators have called for action to reduce the cost of electricity and improve services.