At a Glance

• Rebwar Taha secured approval from the Ministry of Electricity to increase Kirkuk's national grid share amid escalating public backlash.

• The First Deputy Governor ordered the Private Generators Association to restart their units immediately.

• Basic education exams were postponed for stages one to six across the city according to Director Rauf Muhiuddin.

• Protesters continued their demonstrations to demand a reduction in private generator electricity fees.

The First Deputy Governor of Kirkuk, Rebwar Taha, stated that he has obtained approval from the Ministry of Electricity to increase Kirkuk's share of the national power grid, as public backlash over private generator electricity pricing continues to escalate across the province.

Key Statements and Focus Area

• The Media Office of the First Deputy Governor said Taha "ordered the Private Generators Association to operate their generators immediately."

• Rauf Muhiuddin, Director of the Kurdish Education Basic Supervisory Unit, told Channel8 that the examinations for stages one to six of basic education in Kirkuk have been postponed.

• Protesters continue their demonstrations, demanding a reduction in generator electricity fees.

• Private operators claim that the officially mandated pricing structure per ampere fails to cover their baseline operational overheads.

In response to the demands of the protesters, the First Deputy Governor announced he has secured approval from the Ministry of Electricity to increase the province's national grid allocation from 650 megawatts to 800 megawatts.

This temporary measure aims to stabilize the power supply until the private generator pricing crisis is fully resolved.

Meanwhile, Director of the Kurdish Education Supervisory Unit noted that they are requesting the postponement of exams until the generator electricity is fixed.

Speaking to Channel8 during the demonstrations, a protester in Pirde (Altun Kupri) highlighted the severe economic hardships of the local population, emphasizing that residents were not demanding 24-hour power but were simply asking for a reduction in private generator fees.

Another demonstrator urged the Governor and the Provincial Council to take a decisive stance, adding, "Yesterday and the day before, the Governor kept saying 'I am the Governor of Kirkuk,' but today he is nowhere to be found."

She highlighted that even during severe historical disruptions, such as the Baiji refinery crisis when national power completely failed, Kirkuk benefited from effective governance led by an administration that firmly prioritized the province above all else.

FYI

Renewed public protests have erupted across Kirkuk following widespread discontent over escalating private diesel generator subscription fees. 

In response to the initial public outcry, the Kirkuk Provincial Council voted to slash the official price per ampere from 18,000 dinars down to 13,000 dinars. 

While local citizens welcomed the price reduction, private generator operators flatly rejected the legislative decision. 

Operators retaliated by collectively shutting down their units, leaving a massive portion of the governorate and its surrounding territories completely without electricity.

This escalating dispute has culminated in widespread blackouts and major disruptions, including angry demonstrators blocking the main highway connecting Kirkuk and Erbil near Pirde.

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