At a Glance

• KRG shifts 3 out of 5 overdue invoices to legacy debt.
• Residential/agricultural get 50% off; industrial/commercial get 25%.
• Over 260,000 consumers cleared outstanding debts in just 9 days.
• The utility debt-relief window closes permanently on September 10.

Channel8 has learned that the Kurdistan Region Ministry of Electricity and the Runaki project are facilitating procedures for subscribers by shifting a portion of invoices to legacy debt, enabling them to benefit from the discount window. 

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Key statements and focus area

• The ministry and Runaki initiative are transferring three invoices for subscribers who are five months in arrears over to legacy debt. 
• The restructuring is designed to help local families capitalize on the government's debt-relief decree and alleviate building financial pressures.

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Under the newly launched program, residential and agricultural consumers are eligible for a 50% utility discount, while industrial, commercial, and government entities will receive a 25% reduction. 

To ensure as many people as possible qualify for these rate cuts, officials confirmed that subscribers carrying five outstanding Runaki invoices will see three of those bills retroactively reclassified as legacy arrears.

Additionally, administrative officials confirmed that ongoing billing discrepancies regarding "zero invoices" for July and August will be comprehensively rectified and brought to an immediate close. 

Highlighting the rapid implementation of the initiative, over 260,000 subscribers successfully cleared their Runaki obligations and outstanding electricity debts within a localized nine-day window.

Probing Billing System Errors and Outlining Debt Plan

Some subscribers experienced printing errors on their physical bills, where the monetary amount in the system was higher than the amount printed on the invoice, causing public skepticism. 

On the other hand, the KRG has instructed the Ministry of Electricity to coordinate with general directorates after the discount deadline expires to investigate how to handle the remaining outstanding debts owed by subscribers.

FYI

Runaki is a KRG initiative providing stable, 24-hour electricity by modernizing the grid and phasing out private generators. 

Partnering with the Ministry of Electricity, the program uses smart meters and offers steep discounts on legacy debts. 

The discount disbursement process will continue until September 10, which the government characterizes as a crucial opportunity for electricity consumers. 

Statistics from the first week of August confirm that over 100,000 subscribers have successfully verified their exemptions. 

The project’s teams are notifying subscribers of changes to their invoices via electronic messages to ensure they pay lower electricity rates.

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