ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq has begun purchasing electricity from the Kurdistan Region to boost power supplies in several provinces, as the Region says it is on track to provide 24-hour electricity to all subscribers by the summer.
A senior Iraqi government source told Rudaw on Sunday that the decision to purchase electricity "has officially entered into effect," adding that "the volume will increase according to consumption needs."
In Kirkuk, officials said electricity from the Kurdistan Region has already been integrated into the national grid.
"For over a week, 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity has been supplied to Kirkuk from the two main lines of Erbil and Sulaimani, and it is being integrated into Iraq’s national grid," Daniel Hamawandi, deputy director of electricity distribution in Kirkuk, told Rudaw on Sunday, noting that each of the two Kurdistan Region provinces supplies 200 MW.
Hamawandi said the additional supply has improved electricity availability in the province, with residents now receiving national power "for 18 to 20 hours per day."
Kurdistan’s 24-hour power
The expansion of electricity exports comes as the Kurdistan Region moves closer to achieving round-the-clock power supply under its Runaki project, meaning “light” in Kurdish.
The Runaki project is a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) initiative aimed at providing uninterrupted electricity as part of broader efforts to reform and stabilize the energy sector.
Project officials told Rudaw on Sunday that around 90 percent of electricity subscribers across the Kurdistan Region already receive 24-hour electricity, with plans to extend uninterrupted service to all remaining areas by this summer.
The officials added that under the new pricing system, "80 percent of citizens - especially those with low incomes - pay less than they did previously, when compared to the combined costs they used to pay for private generators and national electricity."
The Runaki project was officially launched in November 2024 by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
Iraq has long struggled with chronic electricity shortages, particularly during periods of peak summer and winter demand. While the country typically produces between 20,000 and 25,000 MW of electricity, it requires nearly 54,000 MW to ensure uninterrupted nationwide supply, according to the Iraqi electricity ministry.
Earlier this month, a Chinese state-owned company operating in Iraq said several power plants currently under construction are expected to come online this summer, adding more than 1,200 MW to the national grid as the country seeks to meet rising electricity demand.