ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi private generator owners have threatened to stop providing electricity if the government fails to meet their demands which include addressing fuel shortages, taxes, and setting the price of gasoline at 400 Iraqi dinars per liter.

The government offers subsidized gasoline at 400 Iraqi dinars per liter, however, only a handful of the generator owners have been issued cards and are eligible to receive the government-backed fuel.

Those without the card – which accounts for most owners – are also required to pay taxes, according to The New Region’s correspondent.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Tuesday issued a directive to supply private generators with 40 liters of fuel per hour/watt at a subsidized price of 400 dinars per liter during September, and approved operating hours of at least 20 hours per day to provide sufficient electricity.

Private generator owners however, are threatening to stop providing electricity if the government does not address the fuel shortage and imposed taxes and fees.

Zargham Shuwaili, head of the Private Generators Association in Baghdad said the premier “issued several directives to support generator owners, but they have not been implemented, which has made our task difficult.”

There are nearly 135,000 private generators in Iraq, if their demands are not met by the beginning of September, they “will announce a complete shutdown, which poses the risk of creating an electricity crisis in the country,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Iraq’s central committee for generators announced a nationwide shutdown of private generators at midnight Monday in protest against what it called retroactive taxes, inadequate fuel quotas, multiple fees and taxes, and decisions made without consulting generator owners.

The committee said the shutdown is a “clear and peaceful message of protest” demanding a review of government decisions affecting generator operators

Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have long suffered from electricity and power shortages.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has made strides to address the issue with the landmark Runaki Project, which currently provides round-the-clock electricity to the Kurdistan Region.

Erbil has repeatedly expressed its willingness to share its experience with Baghdad in addressing its long-standing electricity crisis.