Kurdistan Region hit by power outages after Khor Mor glitch

ERBIL — Widespread power outages have plunged large parts of the Kurdistan Region into darkness following technical issues at the Khor Mor gas field, officials said.

In a statement, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Electricity explained, “A technical problem occurred at the Khor Mor gas field at around 2:00 a.m. due to a drop in temperatures, which reduced gas supply to power generation stations by 250 million standard cubic feet. This shortage has caused a reduction of 1,000 megawatts in electricity output.”

Officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources are working with their electricity counterparts to address the malfunction and restore a steady power supply, though no timeline for a complete resolution has been set.

The setback follows a severe bout of snow and frigid temperatures that further strained an already overburdened grid. The Kurdistan Region produces roughly 4,000 megawatts of electricity, short of demand, which exceeds 7,000 megawatts.

With 15 power plants in operation—ranging from hydroelectric to gas and diesel facilities—residents rely on polluting and noisy private local generators to plug gaps in grid supply. More than 7,000 such generators are in use, a reliance that has spurred noise pollution and raised urban environmental concerns.

The Kurdistan Regional Government is pushing forward its Runaki (Light) project, aimed at delivering 24-hour electricity across the region by 2026. The Ministry of Electricity recently announced that eight more neighborhoods in Erbil — Kuran, Rizgari, Kurdistan, Bahar, Krekaren, Azadi, Majidawa, and Rasti — have been added to the project, bringing uninterrupted power to over 28,000 new subscribers. In Erbil alone, 13 neighborhoods now receive continuous national electricity, covering 50,000 subscribers.

Technical work has also begun in the Sulaymaniyah and Duhok governorates, with plans to extend 24-hour power to additional areas. Some neighborhoods in Duhok have already been receiving continuous electricity on a trial basis for more than two years. The project was officially launched on Oct. 17 by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Erbil’s Shadi and Naznaz neighborhoods. “By the end of 2026, every household and business in the Kurdistan Region will have access to 24/7 electricity,” Barzani said.