Runaki Project Brings 24-Hour Power to Soran in Landmark First Phase

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The ambitious Kurdistan Regional Government initiative to provide uninterrupted, 24-hour electricity has officially launched its first phase in the Soran Independent Administration, a development that will bring continuous power to more than 20,000 citizens and begin the process of phasing out reliance on neighborhood diesel generators. This significant step marks the expansion of the Runaki Project beyond major city centers, advancing the government's comprehensive strategy to revolutionize the region's power supply and improve the daily lives of its people.

On Friday, Rajab Zubair, the Mayor of Soran's Central District, announced the milestone exclusively to the Kurdistan24 website. He detailed the initial steps of the project's implementation, which commenced with the distribution of registration brochures to electricity subscribers in four key neighborhoods: Awara, Dilan, Qandil, and Wasta Rajab.

The mayor emphasized the immediate and substantial impact of this first phase, stating, "In the first phase of the Runaki Project's implementation, more than 20,000 citizens will benefit." He also highlighted a crucial consequence of the project's arrival, noting that "out of a total of 114 neighborhood generators, 11 will be shut down." This demonstrates the project's dual objective of not only providing a stable national power grid but also reducing the noise, pollution, and economic burden associated with the widespread use of private generators.

Looking ahead, the Mayor of the Central District of the Soran Independent Administration provided a clear timeline for the project's full implementation within the administrative area. He indicated that the Runaki Project is scheduled to cover all of Soran's neighborhoods by October of this year. The ultimate goal, he affirmed, is for 24-hour electricity to reach every single home in Soran, signaling a complete transformation of the local power infrastructure within a matter of months.

This local development in Soran is a key part of a much broader, region-wide vision. The Runaki Project was officially announced by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, during a visit to the Shadi neighborhood in Erbil. The Prime Minister laid out the project's overarching mission: to provide 24-hour, stable electricity to the entire Kurdistan Region.

The progress made since that announcement has been substantial. According to statistics and surveys published by the Runaki Project, the city centers of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, and Halabja have already been successfully equipped with 24-hour electricity. This achievement has benefited an estimated 2,722,500 citizens, a figure that represents nearly 40% of the Kurdistan Region's total population.

The environmental and economic impact of the project's progress in these major urban hubs is already significant. To date, more than 2,517 neighborhood diesel generators have been shut down across the city centers of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, and Halabja, marking a major step away from the decentralized and inefficient system of the past. The Kurdistan Regional Government's implementation plan for the Runaki Project sets even more ambitious targets for the coming years.

The government plans to shut down a total of more than 7,000 generators across the entire region by the end of 2026, which is also the target date for the entire Kurdistan Region to be supplied with 24-hour electricity under the framework of this transformative project.

Kurdistan24