United States vs USSR: Primary energy use by source
United States
469.08 terawatt-hours
in 2025
USSR
0 terawatt-hours
in 1984
United States rank
2nd
USSR rank
3rd
Primary energy use by source over time
- United States
- USSR
How they compare
United States currently reports 469.08 terawatt-hours against 0 terawatt-hours in USSR, a difference of 469.08 terawatt-hours.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 20 shared years of data; in 1965 it was USSR ahead.
United States ranks 2nd and USSR ranks 3rd of 79 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United States | USSR | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980s | 0.0019 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0.0019 terawatt-hours | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher primary energy use by source, United States or USSR?
- United States, at 469.08 terawatt-hours against 0 terawatt-hours in USSR as of 2025.
- What is the difference in primary energy use by source between United States and USSR?
- 469.08 terawatt-hours, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?
- 20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.
- How do United States and USSR rank globally for primary energy use by source?
- United States ranks 2nd and USSR ranks 3rd of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Primary energy use by source. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.