PM Barzani Inaugurates Landmark Dabin Cement Plant and Power Station

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a move to reinforce Kurdistan's industrial self-sufficiency and energy independence, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is officially set to inaugurate the Dabin Cement Factory and Power Station on Monday.

The facility, located at the foot of Mount Safin in Erbil Governorate, stands as one of the most significant infrastructure projects realized under the ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The cornerstone of the project was first laid nearly two years ago, on June 22, 2023, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who, at the time, underscored his administration's commitment to accelerating industrial growth across the region. He had then called upon relevant governmental bodies to remove bureaucratic hurdles and provide greater facilitation for the private sector to drive sustainable economic development.

On Monday, that vision has materialized. Spanning 212 dunams of land, the Dabin complex was constructed by China Power Investment Corporation (PowerChina) to international standards and now houses both a high-capacity cement production line and a power generation facility.

The factory is equipped to produce up to 6,000 clinkers per day—equivalent to 6,300 tons of cement. The limestone essential for cement production is sourced from a site just one kilometer away from the plant, where geological surveys confirm a reserve of approximately 150 million tons. This rich supply is expected to sustain operations for at least five decades.

Raw material is transported to the factory where it undergoes a high-speed pulverization process using an industrial crusher with a throughput of 1,400 tons per hour. The processed material is then stored in four massive cement silos, each 18 meters in diameter and 56 meters tall. These silos separately contain ordinary Portland cement and the specialized Cempto cement, with each capable of storing 10,000 tons.

In parallel with the cement facility, the power station embedded within the complex is capable of producing 52 megawatts of electricity. This component of the project is intended not only to support the energy needs of the cement plant itself but also to feed into the broader power grid, alleviating strain on regional electricity supplies.

The opening of the Dabin facility marks a strategic leap forward in Kurdistan’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil dependency and toward a robust, locally sustained industrial base. As the ribbon was cut, Barzani reiterated his government’s long-standing objective: to transform Kurdistan into a competitive, self-reliant economic zone in the region.

"This is more than a factory; it is a declaration of our capacity and ambition," Barzani said in remarks during the inauguration ceremony. "Through projects like Dabin, we are building the economic backbone of our nation—one that is grounded in local resources, driven by Kurdish expertise, and open to global standards."

With its scale, efficiency, and integration of both production and power generation, the Dabin complex sets a new benchmark for industrial development in the Kurdistan Region—and a promising signal for future investments to follow.