Full-day electricity reaches 30% of Iraqi Kurdistan, officials say

After over three decades of Barzani rule, only 30% of Iraqi Kurdistan has full electricity

ERBIL,— Just over 30 percent of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region now benefits from continuous, 24-hour electricity, Kurdish authorities reported Thursday, with plans to expand full coverage across the region by the end of 2026.

The Kurdistan Region, in northern Iraq, has long been regarded as a relatively stable area amid the country’s broader unrest. Yet, despite Iraq’s substantial oil reserves, the regional electricity grid continues to fall short of demand, leaving much of Kurdistan dependent on imported power and frequent blackouts.

“Today, about two million people in the Kurdistan Region, including residents of Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaimaniyah, have access to round-the-clock electricity,” said Masrour Barzani, the Kurdistan Region’s caretaker prime minister

After nearly 30 years of semi-autonomous governance under the Barzani family, the region still struggles to supply consistent electricity to its population.

Regular outages, particularly during the summer heat and winter cold, have forced households and businesses to rely heavily on private diesel generators, which are costly and contribute to air pollution.

Local data shows that more than 5,500 private generators operate in Erbil alone, excluding those owned by commercial establishments like hotels and restaurants.

Critics accuse the dominant political clans, the Barzanis and Talabanis, of profiting from oil contracts while neglecting essential infrastructure, including the electricity grid, leaving many citizens underserved.

To address this, the de facto Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) launched “Project Runaki” in 2024, aiming to provide continuous power throughout the region and reduce dependence on private generators.

Kamal Mohammed, Iraqi Kurdistan’s electricity minister, told AFP that residents are now benefiting from “uninterrupted, cleaner, and more affordable electricity.”

NOT USED A private electricity generator in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2022. Photo: Rudaw

The plan includes extending 24/7 power supply to the rest of the region by the end of 2026. So far, the project has led to the decommissioning of about 30 percent of the estimated 7,000 private generators across Kurdistan, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 400,000 tons annually.

In 2023, Iraq’s Ministry of Planning reported that 48,533 private generators were supplying electricity to approximately 6.7 million people across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, according to a government survey conducted that year.

The initiative also aims to reduce electricity bills for households, offering a more economical alternative to the combined cost of grid electricity and private generator fuel. However, Mohammed noted that bills will still fluctuate based on usage, especially during high-demand periods in summer and winter.

A key element for success is the introduction of “smart” electricity meters to minimize theft and the implementation of a new tariff system encouraging responsible consumption.

Mohammed stated that the power capacity of the grid has been expanded to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply.

Kurdistan has doubled its natural gas production over the past five years, with most of the electricity now generated from local gas sources. Nevertheless, Iraq’s infrastructure remains fragile due to decades of conflict.

The country continues to rely heavily on imports, primarily from neighboring Iran, which often disrupts supply. Electricity is also imported from Jordan and Turkey, as Baghdad attempts to boost its own gas output.

“We stand ready to provide technical support and cooperation to the federal government,” Mohammed added.

In Erbil, resident Bishdar Attar, 38, noted that the biggest improvement was the reduction in noise and pollution from diesel generators. “The air is cleaner, and we can now use household appliances without worrying about power cuts,” he said.

The Iraqi Kurdistan region is regarded as the most corrupt part of Iraq. Watchdogs, Kurdish lawmakers, and leaked documents reveal that billions of dollars are missing from oil revenues.

A source familiar with Barzani and Talabani circles told iKurd that investors showed interest in the 2000s in building large power plants in Kurdistan. Investors requested free land and a 10-year tax exemption, after which the KRG would take over operations.

However, Kurdish officials demanded a 50 percent share of profits once the plants were running, leading to stalled projects, the source said.

For decades, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by the Barzani clan, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), headed by the Talabani family, have dominated the political landscape of the Kurdish region.

Both parties have faced frequent criticism from analysts and observers, who accuse them of nepotism and of accumulating substantial wealth through the region’s oil industry, prioritizing family interests over public service.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)