Electric power consumption in South Africa
South Africa: Electric power consumption was 3,247 kWh per capita in 2023. ▼ Falling
Electric power consumption in South Africa, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in kWh per capita.
Analysis
In 2023, electric power consumption in South Africa stood at 3,247 kWh per capita. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and down 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electric power consumption in South Africa peaked at 4,716 kWh per capita in 2007 and was at its lowest, 3,247 kWh per capita, in 2023.
That places South Africa 65th out of 150 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Electric power consumption in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kWh per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,828 kWh per capita | — |
| 1991 | 3,735 kWh per capita | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 3,642 kWh per capita | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 3,683 kWh per capita | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 3,750 kWh per capita | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 3,868 kWh per capita | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 4,405 kWh per capita | +13.9% |
| 1997 | 4,536 kWh per capita | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 4,354 kWh per capita | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 4,242 kWh per capita | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 4,367 kWh per capita | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 4,122 kWh per capita | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 4,353 kWh per capita | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 4,392 kWh per capita | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 4,431 kWh per capita | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 4,486 kWh per capita | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 4,579 kWh per capita | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 4,716 kWh per capita | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 4,543 kWh per capita | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 4,321 kWh per capita | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 4,445 kWh per capita | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 4,481 kWh per capita | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 4,289 kWh per capita | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 4,208 kWh per capita | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 4,119 kWh per capita | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 4,023 kWh per capita | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 3,936 kWh per capita | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 3,940 kWh per capita | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 3,906 kWh per capita | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 3,769 kWh per capita | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 3,478 kWh per capita | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 3,518 kWh per capita | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 3,405 kWh per capita | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 3,247 kWh per capita | -4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4,004 kWh per capita | 3,642 kWh per capita | 4,536 kWh per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,431 kWh per capita | 4,122 kWh per capita | 4,716 kWh per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,111 kWh per capita | 3,769 kWh per capita | 4,481 kWh per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,412 kWh per capita | 3,247 kWh per capita | 3,518 kWh per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 electric power consumption in South Africa?
- Electric power consumption in South Africa was 3,247 kWh per capita in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA).
- What is the highest electric power consumption recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4,716 kWh per capita in 2007.
- What is the lowest electric power consumption recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,247 kWh per capita in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for electric power consumption?
- South Africa ranks 65th out of 150 countries with data for 2023.
- Is electric power consumption rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), published as part of Electric power consumption (kWh per capita). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.