ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kirkuk Provincial Council on Monday voted to reduce the prices of electricity supplied by private generators following protests the previous night.

Protests broke out in disputed Kirkuk late Sunday over increased electricity prices, two days after the price per ampere from private generators was raised.

In response, the Kirkuk Provincial Council met on Monday and decided to reduce the price per ampere of private generator electricity from 18,000 Iraqi dinars to 13,000 dinars, according to The New Region’s correspondents.

Prior to the meeting, the Kirkuk Center District Administration had issued a directive lowering the price per ampere from 18,000 to 15,000 Iraqi dinars. “All instructions or previous decisions that conflict with this decision are hereby repealed,” the directive read.

The price increase came after electricity supplied through Kirkuk’s national grid decreased last month. Private generator owners received enough diesel to operate for 190 hours, while they provided 300 hours of electricity, according to information obtained by The New Region.

Protesters took to the streets two days after the price increase, saying they were unable to pay their October electricity bills, according to The New Region’s correspondent, who reported that demonstrators had blocked streets by setting fires.

A Kirkuk police source told The New Region that six police officers had been injured after protesters threw stones at them.

Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have long suffered from electricity 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.