Nearly 40 generator owners arrested in Chamchamal: Official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Authorities in Sulaimani province’s Chamchamal district on Wednesday arrested nearly 40 power generator owners for not supplying electricity during designated hours, according to a local official.

“Last night arrest warrants were issued for the generator owners because they did not comply with providing the electricity hours [owed],” Ramik Ramazan, Chamchamal district mayor told Rudaw, adding that all 39 were all arrested earlier in the day.

On Tuesday, power generator owners simultaneously did not supply electricity during designated hours without providing a reason, according to Ramazan.

The Kurdistan Region has failed to provide 24-hour electricity. When the subsidized power supply cuts out, people rely on private diesel-fueled generators that are costly and polluting. It is also common for households to experience periods without electricity, as privately owned generators cannot provide for all the hours without national electricity.

The KRG has promised to provide 24-hour electricity by 2026 and has already implemented the plan in some neighborhoods in Erbil and Amedi town in Duhok province.

“Every family and business in the Kurdistan Region will enjoy 24/7 electricity by the end of 2026,” Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said last month.

Diesel prices, maintenance expenses, and environmental regulations mandating noise and smoke reduction - especially during the summer - present significant challenges for generator owners to maintain consistent power supply. Adding to these difficulties are the unpredictable hours of national electricity distribution.

According to a 2021 report by the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office (KRSO), there are nearly 4,000 private electricity generators in the Kurdistan Region that are run as private businesses under directions issued by the government.

Employees responsible for operating the generators sometimes endure shifts exceeding 12 hours, inhaling toxic fumes and facing household complaints or even threats when power is not delivered as expected.

The Khor Mor gas processing plant, operated by the UAE-based Dana Gas, is located in Chamchamal, producing over 400 million standard cubic feet of gas per day and supplying gas to power stations in Chamchamal, Sulaimani, and Erbil with its pipelines.

Despite this, unreliable electricity is a frequent challenge in the Kurdistan Region with the electricity ministry incapable of providing 24-hour power. High demand, financial problems, and shortage of gas supply mean power stations cannot always operate at full capacity.

 

Solin Hamadamin contributed to this report.