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Irbil: More than 30 percent of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region now has 24-hour state electricity, authorities said Thursday, with plans to extend full coverage by the end of 2026.
The northern region of Kurdistan has long promoted itself as a haven of relative stability in an otherwise volatile country.
Despite Iraq’s vast oil wealth, the national grid struggles to meet demand, leaving most areas reliant on imported energy and subject to frequent power cuts.
“Today, two million people across the Kurdistan region enjoy 24-hour electricity... that’s 30 percent of the population,” including the cities of Irbil, Duhok and Sulaimaniyah, said regional prime minister Masrour Barzani.
In 2024, the Kurdistan Regional Government launched “Project Runaki” to deliver round-the-clock power in a region where, like much of Iraq, residents often turn to costly and polluting private generators.
The region’s electricity minister, Kamal Mohammed, said residents were now enjoying “uninterrupted, cleaner, and more affordable electricity.”
“Rollout to other areas is expected to be completed by the end of 2026,” he told AFP.
As part of the transition, roughly 30 percent of the 7,000 private generators operating across Kurdistan have already been decommissioned, he said, a move that has contributed to an estimated annual reduction of nearly 400,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
The project also aims to lower household electricity bills, offering a cheaper alternative to the combined cost of grid power and private generator fees.
However, bills will still depend on consumption and are likely to increase during peak summer and winter months.
Mohammed said the project’s success hinges on the introduction of “smart” meters to curb electricity theft, as well as a new tariff system to promote responsible usage.
“More power has been added to the grid to support 24/7 access,” he said.
Kurdistan has doubled its gas production in the past five years, and most of the power supply comes from local gas production, Mohammed said.
Despite Iraq’s abundant oil and gas reserves, years of conflict have devastated its infrastructure.
The country remains heavily reliant on imports, particularly from neighboring Iran, which frequently interrupts supply. It also imports electricity from Jordan and Turkiye, while seeking to boost its own gas output.
“We stand ready to offer our technical support and assistance” to the federal government, Mohammed said.
In Irbil, resident Bishdar Attar, 38, said the biggest change was the absence of noisy and polluting generators.
“The air is now clear,” he said. “We can now use home appliances freely... as needed.”

DUBAI: Five seafarers have been rescued after a cargo ship was attacked and sunk off in Yemen, maritime monitors said Wednesday, as a search continues for the remaining crew.
The Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was badly damaged in the deadly attack in the Red Sea that started on Monday and continued into Tuesday.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants have not claimed responsibility for the incident, which comes after they boarded and sank another cargo ship on Sunday.
The attacks mark the first wave of Houthi-linked ship strikes since last month’s 12-day war between their main backer, Iran, and Israel.
“Search and rescue operations commenced overnight,” said the British navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
“Five crew members have been rescued and searches continue for those remaining,” it added.
On Tuesday, the European Union force patrolling the Red Sea told AFP that three people were killed and at least two injured — including a Russian electrician who lost a leg — in the attack on the Eternity C.
Twenty-two people were aboard the Greek-operated vessel, all but one from the Philippines, according to Filipino officials.
The US embassy in Yemen has accused the Houthis of staging the attack, with UK-based security firm Ambrey also saying the group was likely to blame.
The Houthis have attacked ships in the vital trade route since the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
But Sunday’s attack on the Magic Seas was their first since late last year, following a Gaza ceasefire and a heavy US bombing campaign targeting Houthi areas.
The rebels released a propaganda video showing masked, armed men storming the Magic Seas and simultaneous explosions that scuttled the bulk carrier.
Houthi attacks have prompted many freight companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12 percent of global trade.
The US bombing campaign, aimed at stamping out the attacks, ended with a ceasefire in early May. However, the rebels told AFP they would continue to target “Israeli ships.”
On Monday, they said they hit the Magic Seas because the company that owns it had done business with Israel and used its ports.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US embassy in Yemen blamed the Houthis for the Eternity C attack, calling it “the most violent” yet and accusing them “undermining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.”
Meanwhile Israel, stung by regular Houthi missile attacks, has carried out several strikes on Yemen, including a wave of air raids on Sunday.