Electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America
North America: Electric power transmission and distribution losses was 5.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America, 1960–2024
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in % of output.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America is 5.2%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America peaked at 9.7% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 4.5%, in 2022.
North America ranks 42nd of 46 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America, year by year
| Year | % of output | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.0% | — |
| 1961 | 8.8% | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 8.6% | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 8.6% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 8.6% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 8.9% | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 9.2% | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 8.8% | -4.5% |
| 1968 | 8.8% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 8.3% | -5.4% |
| 1970 | 8.6% | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 8.5% | -1.9% |
| 1972 | 8.7% | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 8.4% | -3.4% |
| 1974 | 8.4% | -1.1% |
| 1975 | 8.9% | +6.8% |
| 1976 | 9.1% | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 8.5% | -5.9% |
| 1978 | 8.9% | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 8.6% | -3.3% |
| 1980 | 8.8% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 7.4% | -15.8% |
| 1982 | 8.1% | +10.3% |
| 1983 | 8.3% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 6.9% | -16.4% |
| 1985 | 7.1% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 6.6% | -7.1% |
| 1987 | 5.5% | -17.5% |
| 1988 | 5.4% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 9.7% | +77.8% |
| 1990 | 8.9% | -7.7% |
| 1991 | 7.0% | -21.7% |
| 1992 | 7.2% | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 7.3% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 6.9% | -6.2% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | -13.5% |
| 1998 | 6.1% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 5.9% | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 6.1% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -18.3% |
| 2002 | 6.5% | +30.4% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | -8.9% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | +13.0% |
| 2005 | 5.9% | -11.1% |
| 2006 | 5.9% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | +11.0% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 5.7% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 5.7% | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 5.7% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 5.8% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 5.4% | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 5.3% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 4.8% | -9.5% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | +15.1% |
| 2020 | 4.7% | -14.6% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | +14.5% |
| 2022 | 4.5% | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | +18.0% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.8% | 8.3% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.7% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 5.4% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.9% | 5.9% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.6% | 4.8% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.5% | 5.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
More energy & mining data for North America
- Fuel imports 7.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 2.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 3.8% (2024)
- Fuel exports 20.3% (2024)
- Mineral rents 0.2% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.4% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 1.6% (2021)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 14.9% (2024)
- Electric power consumption 12,975 kWh per capita (2024)
- Combustible renewables and waste 5.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America?
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses in North America was 5.2% in 2024, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA).
- What is the highest electric power transmission and distribution losses recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 1989.
- What is the lowest electric power transmission and distribution losses recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.5% in 2022.
- How does North America rank for electric power transmission and distribution losses?
- North America ranks 42nd out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is electric power transmission and distribution losses rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), published as part of Electric power transmission and distribution losses (% of output). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Electric power transmission and distribution losses include losses in transmission between sources of supply and points of distribution and in the distribution to consumers, including pilferage. The losses are expressed as a share of the total output.