ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Over two million people in the Kurdistan Region currently have access to round-the-clock electricity under the Runaki project, according to the Region's electricity ministry.

"The Ministry of Electricity is pleased to announce today that more than 2 million citizens, or around 30% of the Kurdistan Region population, now have 24-hour electricity under the Runaki program,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. "Additionally, over 2,100 diesel neighbourhood generators have been phased out so far. And by the end of 2026, the KRG plans to phase out over 7,000 generators."

The “Runaki Project” is the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) initiative to provide 24-hour power to residential neighborhoods. The project aims to cover the entire region by 2026.

The ministry said, "Most citizens across all three major cities of Erbil, Sulaimani, and Duhok now have access to 24-hour electricity, with coverage extended to the urban areas enclosed by Erbil’s 150-meter ring road and Sulaimani’s 60-meter ring road.

The phasing out of over 7,000 generators upon completion of the project will boast a significant environmental impact, the KRG says, resulting in a reduction of 1.4 million tons of carbon dioxide in the air annually - equivalent to removing 1.3 million vehicles from the roads.

"This achievement marks a significant milestone in delivering clean, reliable, and affordable electricity throughout the Kurdistan Region,” the electricity ministry said.

In early June, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani hailed Runaki as a pivotal electricity program that would provide round-the-clock energy to homes and bolster industry in the Kurdistan Region.

"We provide the basic necessities of modern life not only for today but also for future generations. As a key element of this progress, we are committed to providing sustainable electricity through the Runaki Project and turning one of our biggest challenges into the biggest achievement by lighting homes, strengthening industry, and fulfilling the promise of a brighter Kurdistan,” the prime minister said during a keynote speech he delivered at a graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025 at the American University of Kurdistan (AUK) in Duhok.