ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The United States Consulate General in Erbil hailed the Runaki Project’s expansion to provide round-the-clock electricity to two million residents of the Kurdistan Region as a “vital step forward.”

The consulate expressed their pride in US firms such as GE Vernova for supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region’s energy sector and security, underlining their role in the Runaki Project, which aims to deliver 24/7 electricity to the Region’s residential neighborhoods and businesses.

The Kurdistan Region’s electricity ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday that over two million citizens are now reaping the benefits of the project across the Region.

"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. "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 US consulate commended the milestone in a post on X, writing, “Expanding 24/7 electricity through the [Runaki] project to 2M residents is a vital step forward for the #Iraqi_Kurdistan_Region.”

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," highlighting the achievement as “a significant milestone in delivering clean, reliable, and affordable electricity throughout the Kurdistan Region.”

In early June, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani hailed Runaki as a pivotal electricity program that would provide 24-hour 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.