More than 700 private generators shut down as Runaki 24-hour power project expands

ERBIL — More than 700 private diesel generators have been taken offline in the Kurdistan Region as part of the ongoing rollout of the 24-hour electricity Runaki project, according to a senior Kurdish official. The effort aims to eliminate the remaining 6,300 generators still in use across the region.

Aziz Ahmed, deputy chief of staff to the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, announced the update on social media platform X, writing: “Just by shutting down 700 generators thanks to 24-hour electricity, it’s as if 125,000 cars have been removed from the streets.”

He said the generator closures — which reduce both noise and air pollution in residential areas — are a direct result of the Runaki project, which aims to supply uninterrupted electricity across the region by the end of 2026. However, thousands of generators remain in operation.

Electricity shortages have long affected the Kurdistan Region, where state-supplied power can fall to as little as 8 to 10 hours per day during peak summer and winter months. To compensate, neighborhoods rely on local diesel-powered generators, managed independently and usually installed on street corners. Residents subscribe to specific amperage and pay monthly fees, which fluctuate based on demand.

The Runaki project, launched by the Kurdistan Regional Government on Oct. 17, 2023, is designed to address those chronic power shortages by phasing out the dependence on private generators.

So far, the project has delivered 24-hour electricity to 43 neighborhoods in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok, reaching more than 100,000 homes and businesses.