KRG urges Baghdad to raise daily fuel allocation
Shafaq News- Duhok
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) needs 126,700 to 140,000 barrels of fuel per day but receives only 50,000 barrels, driving up gasoline prices, Acting Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Mohammed said on Thursday.
During a press conference following a memorial ceremony marking the 40th day after the death of a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official in Duhok, Mohammed said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had decided to ask Iraq’s government again to increase Kurdistan's fuel allocation in line with its population and demand.
Erbil currently supplies about 1.75 million liters of government-subsidized gasoline every day, refined from the 50,000-barrel supply, and sold at 750 Iraqi dinars per liter. The KRI has more than 2.709 million registered vehicles, Mohammed noted.
The ministry delivers each province's quota, while local administrations and the directorates of oil and minerals oversee distribution in coordination with provincial authorities. Commercial gasoline is sold under a free-market system subject to quality controls, with authorities closing several fuel stations in Erbil and Duhok over violations of fuel specifications.
Addressing the electricity sector, Mohammed, who also serves as acting minister of electricity, pointed out that the recent power crisis in the Kurdistan Region ended after operations resumed at the Khor Mor gas field.
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The shutdown of the field between July 16 and July 28 caused the reduction in electricity supply hours. Electricity generation has returned to normal levels, with no current shortage in supply. Any future outages would likely result from technical faults in transmission lines or the electricity network rather than insufficient production, Mohammed explained.
Mohammed added that the Runaki electricity project is 85% complete and is expected to be finalized before the end of the year, extending coverage across the Kurdistan Region. Electricity tariffs will be reviewed after the project is completed, while current prices will remain unchanged until then.
Yesterday, the KRG instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources to take immediate steps to resolve fuel shortages and prevent market monopolies after long queues formed at gasoline stations across Erbil. The shortages disrupted daily travel despite recent government price cuts, prompting KRG officials to meet gasoline traders to discuss the supply crisis and explore solutions.
