From generator noise to cleaner air: Environmental transformation in the Kurdistan Region

More than 2.7 million citizens in the Kurdistan Region now enjoy uninterrupted electricity, representing nearly 40% of the region's population, thanks to the Ronaki Uninterrupted Electricity Project . This initiative represents an important step toward improving quality of life, reducing pollution, and boosting economic development in the region's cities.

Uninterrupted electricity: A step towards an easier life

With 24-hour electricity, citizens can now operate household appliances without waiting for specific hours, as was the case with private generators. The Ronaki project not only improved citizens' daily lives, but also provided local businesses with greater opportunities for growth and expansion thanks to the availability of uninterrupted power.

To date, more than 2,517 private diesel generators have been decommissioned across Kurdistan, and more than 7,000 are expected to be decommissioned by the end of 2026. The project's primary goal is to provide affordable electricity to all citizens and businesses around the clock, enhancing economic and social stability in the region.

Engineer Hazem Mohammed, Deputy Director General of the Electricity Department in Duhok, indicated that the project began on March 27, 2025, in Duhok city center, and currently covers 68% of the city's population, or approximately 81,000 subscribers out of a total of 118,000. He added that the next phases will include districts, sub-districts, and villages, after the main cities are completed. He emphasized that turning off 310 private generators in Duhok city center alone directly contributed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 400,000 tons annually, improving air quality, and reducing noise.

Regarding the tariff, Mohammed explained that the project relies on a progressive system to encourage rational electricity consumption, with phased government support to facilitate adaptation: a 50% discount in the first month, 25% in the second month, and 15% in the third month. Generator owners' rights have also been guaranteed by allowing generators to remain in their locations as a backup for emergencies, with fixed fees and operating costs paid when needed, without imposing additional burdens on citizens.

Environmental and Health Impact: From Pollution to Clean Air

According to Dr. Najmuddin Nerwi, an environmental professor at the University of Zakho, private generators are the largest source of air pollution in Duhok Governorate and Kurdistan in general, along with traffic congestion and some illegal factories. The approximately 2,000 generators in central Duhok operate an average of eight hours a day, and each liter of diesel produces approximately 0.45 grams of carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming and rising temperatures . Additionally, the generators produce chronic noise that disrupts residents' comfort.

Niroy asserts that pollution from generators is a major cause of respiratory illnesses, and that turning them off could reduce air pollution by up to 50%. The Ronaki project represents a crucial step toward addressing this problem, and he describes it as "the best project ever launched in Kurdistan." He hopes it will be implemented in all cities across the region and that the experience will spread to other Iraqi governorates.

Neroy also points out that comparing the environmental conditions in Baghdad and Basra reveals significant disparities. Baghdad ranks among the most polluted cities in the world, and Basra suffers from salinity and water shortages. Kurdistan appears to fare much better in terms of air and water quality, despite some shortcomings. He also pointed to the increase in plastic waste as another environmental obstacle that requires urgent solutions.

"Continuous electricity changed our lives."

Kawin Hussein, 32, works as a carpenter in the Broshki area and lives in the police district of Dohuk. He explains that the national electricity supply was limited to only 3 to 4 hours per day, forcing residents to rely on expensive generators, with the price of one ampere reaching 18,000 Iraqi dinars.

"Although I don't know exactly how much my monthly electricity bill will cost, having uninterrupted electricity is much better," says Kawin. "In my woodworking shop, the machines didn't run on private generators, and we had to work at night when national electricity was available. Now we can run the machines and work at any time." He adds, "Even if the bill is a little higher, the important thing is that we have stable electricity, and we can ration consumption as needed. Most importantly, we breathe cleaner air, of course."

Media Abbas Al-Mandlawi, a teacher and writer in Dohuk, says that life before the arrival of continuous electricity was extremely difficult: "Private generators limited the number of amperes, and we experienced constant power outages when operating multiple appliances. We had to turn off the appliances so the generator owners could turn the electricity back on , which was very annoying in both summer and winter."

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