Latest news with #Runaki
Rudaw Net
6 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Energy deals with US to boost industrial, economic growth: KRG official
Also in Kurdistan New Crimean-Congo fever case confirmed in Duhok Cabinet formation needed despite 'illegitimate' parliament: Komal leader Canada opens business council to enhance cooperation with Erbil, Baghdad: Ambassador KDP accuses 'some' in Baghdad of eroding federalism, using salaries for leverage A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two new major energy agreements with US companies will significantly increase gas and electricity production in the Kurdistan Region, laying the groundwork for industrial expansion, a top investment official said on Monday. In May, two major energy agreements were signed between Erbil and two US companies valued at a combined $110 billion over their lifespans during Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's visit to the US. 'The two contracts are important for us investors because gas and electricity production will increase in the Kurdistan Region,' Mohammed Shukri, head of the Kurdistan Region's Board of Investment, told Rudaw. The HKN Energy and ONEX Group signed a binding term sheet with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for the development of the Miran Gas Field, with another agreement with WesternZagros to develop the Topkhana-Kurdamir block in southwest Sulaimani province to produce gas. The projects will be implemented in stages, with initial gas production aimed at meeting domestic needs while gradually expanding to support regional energy demands and spur long-term economic growth. According to the companies, the sizable reserves at Miran and Topkhana-Kurdamir are expected to enhance the Kurdistan Region's energy security over time. 'We can benefit from the gas through industrial applications such as petrochemical, metal production, LPG, and establishing new factories,' Shukri said, adding that electricity is vital, as shortages have long held back growth in other sectors like tourism and agriculture. The deals align with the KRG's Runaki initiative - meaning 'light' in Kurdish - which aims to provide 24-hour electricity across the Region by the end of 2026. The program has already been launched in several cities and neighborhoods. Electricity shortages remain a persistent problem in the Kurdistan Region, driven by high demand, limited fuel supplies, and financial constraints that restrict power generation. As a result, homes, businesses, and industries continue to depend on costly and polluting private diesel generators. Ranja Jamal contributed to this report.
Shafaq News
23-03-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Duhok's power grid: 72-hour blackout test
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Kurdish Ministry of Electricity began a 72-hour stress test to evaluate the stability of the power grid in central Duhok. According to the ministry's statement, electricity will be provided continuously throughout the test to monitor transmission and distribution network performance, with similar trials planned for other districts in future phases. 'The test is intended to identify technical issues and prepare for system upgrades,' the ministry clarified. The initiative follows the recent launch of the Runaki project in Duhok, which aims to provide uninterrupted electricity to households and reduce reliance on private generators. Duhok Governor Ali Tatar previously said the project had already been rolled out in areas such as Al-Amediya and Duhok's market district, describing the system as more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than local generator use.
Shafaq News
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan's Electricity Minister: Runaki power project will cut costs
Shafaq News/ The Kurdish Minister of Electricity, Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil, said on Tuesday that the cost of the Runaki project, which aims to provide 24-hour electricity, will be lower than what residents currently pay for national grid power and private generators. 'The project has been a long-awaited dream for citizens in Kurdistan, and now it is on its way to becoming a reality,' Khalil said in a statement. He emphasized that 90% of citizens will not pay extra for electricity. 'Costs will be lower than what they currently pay to generator owners.' The minister added that the initiative would ensure 'stable electricity without noise or environmental pollution,' urging public support for the project as it is 'in everyone's best interest.' The Runaki project has sparked controversy, particularly in Al-Sulaymaniyah, where a coalition of civil society organizations has raised concerns over the proposed pricing, warning that it could place a financial burden on citizens.
Shafaq News
18-03-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
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.
Rudaw Net
06-02-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
KRG supplies eight Erbil neighborhoods 24-hour power
A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Wednesday announced that eight additional neighborhoods have been switched to round-the-clock electricity, with the initiative expected to spread to Sulaimani and Duhok soon. 'As part of the Kurdistan Regional Government's efforts to provide 24-hour power, the Ministry of Electricity will provide 24-hour electricity to eight other neighborhoods in Erbil including Kuran, Rizgari, Kurdistan, Bahar, Krekaran, Azadi, Majidawa, and Rasti,' the KRG's electricity ministry said in a statement. The initiative, dubbed Runaki - or 'light' in Kurdish - aims to provide round-the-clock power across the Kurdistan Region by the end of 2026. According to the electricity ministry, technical work has begun to spread the project to Sulaimani and Duhok, and 'in the next few weeks, several neighborhoods in these provinces will be provided with 24-hour electricity.' The KRG Ministry of Electricity announced tonight that eight new neighbourhoods in Erbil, comprising nearly 30,000 homes and businesses, switched to 24/7 power at midnight. The first neighbourhoods in Suli and Duhok will move to 24/7 power in the next few weeks too. #Runaki … — Aziz Ahmad (@azizkahmad) February 5, 2025 A source from the project team told Rudaw that four to eight additional neighborhoods will be included in the initiative in its next phase. 'In Sulaimani and Duhok, the electricity will be made 24 hours by the end of this month,' the source added. But many private generator owners are unhappy with the details of the latest step, saying that contracts previously agreed upon with the KRG to provide emergency power for the next six months have been adjusted. 'We are [operating in] eleven neighborhoods. The contract previously agreed upon with the neighborhoods that switched to 24-hour electricity was 2.5 million [dinars] for generator owners to be on standby during emergencies, but the amount has been changed to 1 million [dinars],' a private generator owner told Rudaw. Another generator owner said that the funds allocated in the new contract do not cover the salary of their employees and the fuel they need to buy. Unreliable electricity is a frequent headache in the Kurdistan Region. High demand, financial problems, and shortage of fuel supplies mean power stations in the Kurdistan Region cannot always operate at full capacity and the electricity ministry has been incapable of providing round-the-clock power. When the national supply cuts out, people rely on private diesel-fueled generators that are costly and polluting.
