More than 21,000 electricity subscribers in the Kurdistan Region received zero electricity bills for March under a support program launched by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). In some cases, households paid nothing for their monthly electricity consumption.
The KRG introduced this relief through its “Runaki Project,” which aims to reduce costs for citizens and improve electricity services. The program encourages subscribers to pay their bills through the digital e-Psula system before March 12. Those who do so receive a 20% discount, and the government later compensates these reductions in subsequent months.
Project officials confirmed that 21,422 subscribers benefited from zero billing in March. They said the program reflects continued government efforts to support households across the region.
Erbil recorded the highest number of beneficiaries with 10,759 households. Sulaymaniyah followed with 7,134 households. Duhok registered 3,448 households, while Halabja accounted for 81 households.
Officials also reported that the program returned more than 3.2 billion Iraqi dinars to citizens. In Erbil, households received 1.608 billion dinars. Sulaymaniyah subscribers received 808 million dinars, while Duhok households got 752 million dinars. Halabja received about 12 million dinars.
Authorities said around 80% of participating households have already received financial benefits or refunds under the Runaki Project since its launch.
The KRG considers the Runaki Project one of its most important infrastructure initiatives. The program currently delivers continuous 24-hour electricity to more than 5.5 million residents, covering about 85% of the Kurdistan Region.
Officials say the project reduces dependence on private generators and improves service reliability. They also plan to expand the system further as digital billing becomes more widely adopted and operational efficiency increases across the electricity network.
