China vs United States of America: Electricity Installed Capacity, Megawatt

China
1.35 million
in 2023
United States of America
719,568
in 2023
China rank
1st
United States of America rank
2nd

Electricity Installed Capacity, Megawatt over time

  • China
  • United States of America
250.0k500.0k750.0k1.0M1.2M200020112023

How they compare

China currently reports 1.35 million against 719,568 in United States of America, a difference of 626,662.

That makes China's figure about 1.9 times United States of America's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was United States of America ahead.

China ranks 1st and United States of America ranks 2nd of 224 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and United States of America in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United States of America Difference Ahead
2000s 403,601 723,265 319,664 United States of America
2010s 942,726 764,019 178,707 China
2020s 1.28 million 726,695 552,710 China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher electricity installed capacity, megawatt, China or United States of America?
China, at 1.35 million against 719,568 in United States of America as of 2023.
What is the difference in electricity installed capacity, megawatt between China and United States of America?
626,662, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States of America?
24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do China and United States of America rank globally for electricity installed capacity, megawatt?
China ranks 1st and United States of America ranks 2nd of 224 countries.
Where does this data come from?
International Monetary Fund, published as Electricity Installed Capacity, Megawatt (Fossil fuels). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United States of America: Electricity Installed Capacity, Megawatt. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://energy.statizoid.com/compare/electricity-installed-capacity-megawatt-fossil-fuels/china/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Electricity Installed Capacity, Megawatt (Fossil fuels)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
247 places, 5,868 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

This dataset provides information on electricity generation and installed capacity, categorized by energy type (renewable and non-renewable) and five technology types (Fossil fuels, Hydropower, Solar energy, Wind energy, and Bioenergy). The data has been sourced from the International Renewable Energy Agency (https://pxweb.irena.org/pxweb/en/IRENASTAT). The indicators on energy transition have been formulated to help users understand the progress in the adoption of renewable energy sources vis-à-vis the increasing energy requirements.