Electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa
South Africa: Electricity generation from coal per person was 3,050 kilowatt-hours in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3,050 kilowatt-hours
Change on year
down 5.6%
World rank
8th
of 207 countries
All-time high
4,900 kilowatt-hours
in 2007
All-time low
3,042 kilowatt-hours
in 2023
Years of data
41
1985–2025
Electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa stood at 3,050 kilowatt-hours.
That represents a change of down 5.6% on the previous year and down 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa peaked at 4,900 kilowatt-hours in 2007 and was at its lowest, 3,042 kilowatt-hours, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 8th of 207 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 3,864 kilowatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 3,759 kilowatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 3,825 kilowatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 3,717 kilowatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 3,746 kilowatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 3,827 kilowatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 3,727 kilowatt-hours | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 3,692 kilowatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 3,833 kilowatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 3,850 kilowatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 3,896 kilowatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 4,094 kilowatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 4,223 kilowatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 4,057 kilowatt-hours | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 3,994 kilowatt-hours | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 4,158 kilowatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 4,146 kilowatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 4,291 kilowatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 4,542 kilowatt-hours | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 4,692 kilowatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 4,683 kilowatt-hours | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 4,809 kilowatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 4,900 kilowatt-hours | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 4,760 kilowatt-hours | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 4,538 kilowatt-hours | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 4,651 kilowatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 4,612 kilowatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 4,456 kilowatt-hours | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 4,270 kilowatt-hours | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 4,133 kilowatt-hours | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 4,007 kilowatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 4,009 kilowatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 3,968 kilowatt-hours | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 3,941 kilowatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 3,780 kilowatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 3,535 kilowatt-hours | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 3,429 kilowatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 3,235 kilowatt-hours | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 3,042 kilowatt-hours | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 3,231 kilowatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 2025 | 3,050 kilowatt-hours | -5.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,782 kilowatt-hours | 3,717 kilowatt-hours | 3,864 kilowatt-hours | 5 |
| 1990s | 3,919 kilowatt-hours | 3,692 kilowatt-hours | 4,223 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,552 kilowatt-hours | 4,146 kilowatt-hours | 4,900 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,183 kilowatt-hours | 3,780 kilowatt-hours | 4,651 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,254 kilowatt-hours | 3,042 kilowatt-hours | 3,535 kilowatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 5 Republic of Korea 3,765 kilowatt-hours compare
- 6 Serbia 3,561 kilowatt-hours compare
- 7 Kazakhstan 3,220 kilowatt-hours compare
- 9 Japan 2,681 kilowatt-hours compare
- 10 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2,548 kilowatt-hours compare
- 11 Czechia 2,507 kilowatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa?
- Electricity generation from coal per person in South Africa was 3,050 kilowatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from coal per person recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4,900 kilowatt-hours in 2007.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from coal per person recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,042 kilowatt-hours in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for electricity generation from coal per person?
- South Africa ranks 8th out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from coal per person rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from coal per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.