Coal consumption in South Africa
South Africa: Coal consumption was 1,013 terawatt-hours in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1,013 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
7th
of 220 countries
All-time high
1,092 terawatt-hours
in 2008
All-time low
283.13 terawatt-hours
in 1966
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Coal consumption in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1,013 terawatt-hours for coal consumption in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, coal consumption in South Africa peaked at 1,092 terawatt-hours in 2008 and was at its lowest, 283.13 terawatt-hours, in 1966.
That places South Africa 7th out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Coal consumption in South Africa, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 286.76 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 283.13 terawatt-hours | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 291.31 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 304.93 terawatt-hours | +4.7% |
| 1969 | 307.93 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 318.1 terawatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 340.18 terawatt-hours | +6.9% |
| 1972 | 342.58 terawatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 364.93 terawatt-hours | +6.5% |
| 1974 | 382.29 terawatt-hours | +4.8% |
| 1975 | 408.01 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 428.39 terawatt-hours | +5.0% |
| 1977 | 443.79 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 431.03 terawatt-hours | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 459.75 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 1980 | 496.73 terawatt-hours | +8.0% |
| 1981 | 588.86 terawatt-hours | +18.5% |
| 1982 | 645.59 terawatt-hours | +9.6% |
| 1983 | 655.7 terawatt-hours | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 706.54 terawatt-hours | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 725.57 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 735.67 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 748.57 terawatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 809.93 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 755.88 terawatt-hours | -6.7% |
| 1990 | 782.9 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 768.75 terawatt-hours | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 771.68 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 774.73 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 799.63 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 829.71 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 842.51 terawatt-hours | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 861.09 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 835.23 terawatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 872.7 terawatt-hours | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 867.97 terawatt-hours | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 871.07 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 828.6 terawatt-hours | -4.9% |
| 2003 | 864.7 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 914.99 terawatt-hours | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 955.96 terawatt-hours | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 1,020 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 1,050 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 1,092 terawatt-hours | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 1,025 terawatt-hours | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 1,049 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 998.48 terawatt-hours | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 1,048 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 1,041 terawatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 1,002 terawatt-hours | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 977.58 terawatt-hours | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 1,005 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 937.46 terawatt-hours | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 994.97 terawatt-hours | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 1,061 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 966.9 terawatt-hours | -8.9% |
| 2021 | 957.87 terawatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 908.05 terawatt-hours | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 956.6 terawatt-hours | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 1,033 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 2025 | 1,013 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 294.81 terawatt-hours | 283.13 terawatt-hours | 307.93 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 391.9 terawatt-hours | 318.1 terawatt-hours | 459.75 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 686.9 terawatt-hours | 496.73 terawatt-hours | 809.93 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 813.89 terawatt-hours | 768.75 terawatt-hours | 872.7 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 949.04 terawatt-hours | 828.6 terawatt-hours | 1,092 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,011 terawatt-hours | 937.46 terawatt-hours | 1,061 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 972.45 terawatt-hours | 908.05 terawatt-hours | 1,033 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 4 United States of America 2,425 terawatt-hours compare
- 5 Indonesia 1,432 terawatt-hours compare
- 6 Japan 1,211 terawatt-hours compare
- 8 Russian Federation 988.31 terawatt-hours compare
- 9 Republic of Korea 793.18 terawatt-hours compare
- 10 Viet Nam 713.72 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is coal consumption in South Africa?
- Coal consumption in South Africa was 1,013 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest coal consumption recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1,092 terawatt-hours in 2008.
- What is the lowest coal consumption recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 283.13 terawatt-hours in 1966.
- How does South Africa rank for coal consumption?
- South Africa ranks 7th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is coal consumption rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Coal consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.