ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Strong winds have caused power outages across several neighborhoods of Sulaimani city since the early hours of Monday, damaging power lines and related infrastructure.

“According to data by the Transmission and Control Department of Sulaimani Electricity, more than 19 electricity feeders in downtown Sulaimani, and six others located in the city's outlying areas, have broken down due to the strong windstorm that has swept across Sulaimani since last night,” read a statement by the Sulaimani General Electricity Department.

The statement detailed that electricity maintenance teams have been working in the field to resolve the issue to “restore electricity to citizens as soon as possible.”

Iraq’s meteorology department announced Monday the country’s weather forecast for the coming days, predicting additional windstorms in several regions.

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.

More than 200 diesel neighbourhood generators have been phased out in Sulaimani, as part of the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) landmark project. 

The “Runaki Project” is the KRG’s initiative to provide 24-hour power to residential neighborhoods. The project aims to cover the entire region by 2026.

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.