Kirkuk residents block road over prolonged power outages

KIRKUK — Residents of the Panja Ali neighborhood in southeastern Kirkuk blocked the area’s main road overnight to protest what they described as deteriorating electricity supply and repeated power cuts.

Protesters burned tires and erected barriers, halting vehicle traffic and saying they would no longer tolerate prolonged and recurring outages. Residents told 964media that electricity supply has dropped sharply, affecting daily life and local businesses.

They said the road would remain closed until authorities provide a clear response and a swift solution.

Ahmed Ali, a resident of the neighborhood, said Panja Ali suffers from a lack of electricity transformers, which has left homes without power or experiencing frequent shutdowns. “Our neighborhood has a problem with the lack of electricity transformers, and because of that the power does not reach us, or when it does, it cuts off repeatedly,” he told 964media.

Daniel Hamawandi, deputy director of Kirkuk’s electricity distribution directorate, said the governor had approved new measures to address the issue. “The governor has decided to provide 20 electricity transformers for Kirkuk neighborhoods, and it has been decided that the first one will be installed tomorrow in the Panja Ali neighborhood,” he told 964media.

Residents said they were waiting to see the implementation of the decision before reopening the road.

Protests over electricity shortages have continued across Iraq, with residents in several cities staging demonstrations in recent months over repeated outages and limited supply hours. The Ministry of Electricity said in a statement issued in late December that Iranian gas supplies had stopped completely, affecting generation capacity and contributing to pressure on the national grid during periods of high demand.

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