ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Over 170,000 beneficiaries have cleared legacy electricity debts owed before the launch of the Kurdistan Region’s landmark Runaki project, following a government discount on legacy debts introduced in late July, the platform said on Sunday.

“So far, more than 170,000 beneficiaries have benefited from the pre-Runaki electricity debt waiver, mostly residential beneficiaries, followed by businesses,” the Runaki team told The New Region. 

The waiver is set to remain in effect until September 10. Under the incentive, residential and agricultural subscribers who settle their legacy debts accumulated before the launch of the Runaki project will enjoy a 50 percent discount on their payments, while commercial, industrial, and government offices will be eligible for a 25 percent discount. 

Legacy debts in the Kurdistan Region amounted to over 2.4 trillion dinars, according to information obtained by The New Region. 

Around 75 percent of those who have cleared their debts thus far have done so using the KRG’s landmark e-Psule online payment service, the Runaki team said, with the rest opting for the traditional cash-based approach with the government’s electricity ministry offices across the Kurdistan Region. 

The KRG’s milestone Runaki Project provides round-the-clock electricity to some 5.5 million people across the Kurdistan Region, over 85 percent of the population, according to the electricity ministry in April.

The project was announced by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in October 2024, aiming to eliminate electricity issues that the Region has struggled with for decades.

The initiative is also expected to produce significant environmental benefits through the replacement of private, diesel-powered generators that are highly polluting. “The KRG plans to phase out over 7,000 generators by the end of 2026,” a prior KRG statement asserted.