Kurdistan Region Ministry of Electricity: power supply improving despite rising demand

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Electricity announced that residents received more than 12 hours of electricity daily last year, and under the ministry’s current plans, the power situation is expected to improve further.

In a statement, the ministry revealed, “This winter, electricity demand exceeded 7,500 megawatts, while production capacity only reached 3,500 megawatts. Despite adding 1,500 megawatts to the grid during the ninth cabinet term, the number of electricity subscribers increased by 460,000. Additionally, industrial facilities such as cement, steel, and manufacturing plants, as well as urban and development projects, have raised electricity demand.”

Essential services, including hospitals, water facilities, security institutions, prisons, and border checkpoints, were prioritized with uninterrupted electricity. “In 2024, the average daily power supply across the region reached 12 hours and 44 minutes,” the ministry noted.

While the Ministry of Electricity highlights an average of 12 hours and 44 minutes of daily power supply across the Kurdistan Region in 2024, there are seasonal peaks and troughs. During the peak of summer and winter, when temperatures are extreme and electricity demand for cooling and heating surges, residents often receive as little as 6 to 7 hours of power daily. Conversely, in spring and autumn, when temperatures are moderate and electricity demand drops to its lowest, residents enjoy 19 to 20 hours of power from the national grid.

According to the statement, to address the increasing demand and improve power distribution, the ministry has taken substantial steps beyond adding 1,500 megawatts to the grid. The ministry constructed more than 10 new substations across different areas in the Kurdistan Region, installed over 350 kilometers of 132 kV and 33 kV high-voltage transmission lines, and implemented hundreds of additional projects to enhance the internal distribution network. These upgrades have extended electricity access to rural areas and remote villages.

The Ministry of Electricity emphasized its commitment to further improvements. “We assure residents that based on the planned projects, including smart metering systems and the 24-hour lighting initiative, the electricity supply will continue to improve,” the statement concluded.

To bridge the gap between limited public electricity supply and actual consumption needs, residents in the Kurdistan Region depend on private neighborhood generators. These generators provide electricity based on a subscription model, where households select a specific amperage for a monthly subscription. Though they are known for contributing to noise and environmental pollution in urban areas.