Erbil, Kurdistan Region – In a transformative development, the city of Duhok has taken a historic leap forward in electricity supply, with the KRG's "Runaki" project successfully providing round-the-clock power to tens of thousands of residents, freeing them from decades of reliance on expensive and noisy private generators.

For citizens like Bazian Bamerni, a resident of Duhok’s Masik neighborhood, the change has been life-altering.

"Before, the situation was extremely difficult," Bamerni told Kurdistan24. "Generator costs were high, the noise was unbearable, and even our sleep was disturbed. Now, we finally have permanent electricity. We had waited 34 years for this day—thank God, our dream has come true."

Bamerni’s joy is now shared by 81,000 electricity subscribers across 30 neighborhoods in Duhok, where the fourth phase of the Runaki project has recently been implemented. This phase alone has:

Added 14 new neighborhoods and 10 residential complexes to the grid.
Shut down 124 private generators, reducing pollution and noise.

Brought the total generators deactivated since the project began to 310.
68% of Duhok City Now Covered

Hazim Mohammed, Deputy Director General of Electricity in Duhok, confirmed that the project is progressing rapidly.

"So far, about 30 neighborhoods—covering 68% of Duhok’s city center—are receiving uninterrupted power," Mohammed said. "We expect the coverage to reach 60-70% by early next year, ensuring most residents benefit from continuous electricity."

The Runaki project, launched by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in October 2024, aims to provide 24/7 affordable and clean electricity to the entire Kurdistan Region by 2026. Key achievements so far include:

Over 2.7 million people (40% of the Region’s population) now enjoy uninterrupted power.

2,517 diesel generators have been shut down across Erbil, Sulaimani, and Duhok.
The KRG plans to decommission over 7,000 generators by 2026.

Additionally, a new tariff system has been introduced, ensuring 80% of subscribers pay less than they previously spent on generators and grid electricity combined.

With 168,000 citizens already benefiting from 24/7 electricity, Duhok is on track to become the first major city in the Kurdistan Region to achieve near-full coverage.

Officials confirm that by the end of 2025, all major urban centers—including Halabja—will be fully integrated into the Runaki system, marking one of the most ambitious infrastructure successes in decades.