ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kurdistan Region’s electricity ministry said on Thursday that electricity supply “will be reduced by several hours” due to maintenance work at the Khor Mor gas field starting Friday, for a period of one month.

“During the period from October 2 to November 2, Dana Gas Company will begin a maintenance process at the Khor Mor field,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that “as a result, electricity supply hours will be reduced by several hours.” 

The ministry’s statement comes two weeks after it said that electricity generation would return to normal, a day after the Region’s primary gas field reduced supplies to power stations.

Before that, the ministry said the UAE-based Dana Gas reduced gas supplies to power stations in the Kurdistan Region from the key Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani province by 1,000 megawatts.

“The Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Natural Resources are coordinating to ensure the process has the minimum possible impact on electricity hours within the Runak project,” it added

Dana Gas, which operates the key Khor Mor gas field, struck a deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2007 to develop the Region’s gas capacities.

In early August, the KRG accused Dana Gas and its affiliate Crescent Petroleum of violating their contractual obligations with Erbil, saying the companies had supplied the Iraqi electricity ministry with natural gas from Sulaimani’s Khor Mor field without consent.

The UAE-based energy giant is struggling with the regional consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran, with the targeting of the Khor Mor field having negatively impacted operations and disrupted power supplies.

While Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have long suffered from electricity shortages, Erbil has made strides with the landmark Runaki Project, which now provides round-the-clock electricity to the Kurdistan Region.

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