Kurdistan's 24/7 power project faces backlash over price hike
Shafaq News/ A new electricity initiative aiming to provide uninterrupted power across the Kurdistan Region has triggered a wave of criticism, with a civil society coalition in Al-Sulaymaniyah warning that the proposed pricing could impose a heavy burden on consumers.
Delshad Baban, spokesperson for the Civil Society Organizations Coalition, acknowledged in a press conference that the Runaki project is a significant step forward but raised concerns over the sharp increase in electricity tariffs.
"Raising electricity prices from 18 dinars (about $0.012) per unit to 156 dinars (about $0.11) is a drastic jump that could overwhelm consumers," Baban said.
He warned that the project, in its current form, might primarily benefit wealthier citizens, 'contradicting the government's stated goal of making electricity a public service.'
The coalition called on activists and civil society organizations to oppose the project unless pricing adjustments are made, hinting at potential legal and civic actions to halt it.
In turn, Fares Mirkhan, Director General of Power Generation at the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Electricity, stressed that electricity tariffs have not yet been finalized and remain under review.
"Pricing decisions require official approval from the ministry and other relevant government authorities. The proposed tariffs will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for final approval before implementation," Mirkhan said in a statement.
He emphasized that the Runaki project, launched last year, is focused on building new power stations in Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok, to deliver round-the-clock electricity to the entire region by 2026.
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