Electric power transmission and distribution losses (% of output) in OECD members
OECD members: Electric power transmission and distribution losses (% of output) was 5.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Electric power transmission and distribution losses in OECD members, 1960–2024
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in % of output.
Analysis
In 2024, electric power transmission and distribution losses in OECD members stood at 5.7%.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electric power transmission and distribution losses in OECD members peaked at 9.4% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 2022.
OECD members ranks 38th 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 (% of output) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | % of output | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.4% | — |
| 1961 | 9.2% | -2.5% |
| 1962 | 8.9% | -3.0% |
| 1963 | 8.7% | -1.7% |
| 1964 | 8.6% | -1.4% |
| 1965 | 8.7% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 8.7% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 8.4% | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 8.3% | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 8.0% | -4.4% |
| 1970 | 8.0% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 7.9% | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 8.0% | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 7.9% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 7.6% | -3.6% |
| 1975 | 8.0% | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 8.0% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 7.8% | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 7.8% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 7.7% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 7.8% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 7.1% | -8.7% |
| 1982 | 7.4% | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 7.6% | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 6.8% | -9.8% |
| 1985 | 7.1% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 6.7% | -5.4% |
| 1987 | 6.2% | -7.6% |
| 1988 | 6.0% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 8.0% | +33.3% |
| 1990 | 7.6% | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 6.7% | -12.9% |
| 1992 | 6.7% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 7.0% | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 6.9% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 6.9% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 6.4% | -8.1% |
| 1998 | 6.6% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 6.4% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 6.5% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 6.0% | -8.3% |
| 2002 | 6.6% | +10.0% |
| 2003 | 6.3% | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 6.3% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 6.0% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 6.3% | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 6.1% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 5.9% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 5.8% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 5.7% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 5.5% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 5.4% | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 5.8% | +7.2% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | -8.5% |
| 2023 | 5.8% | +9.2% |
| 2024 | 5.7% | -1.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electric power transmission and distribution losses (% of output) in OECD members changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +33.3% | 6.0% | 8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.7% | 8.0% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.9% | 7.6% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.1% | 6.0% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.8% | 6.4% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 6.0% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.9% | 5.5% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 35 Paraguay 16.3% compare
- 36 Cuba 16.2% compare
- 37 Tajikistan 16.2% compare
- 38 North Macedonia 15.7% compare
- 39 North Korea 15.5% compare
- 40 Haiti 15.3% compare
- 41 Pakistan 15.2% compare
More energy & mining data for OECD members
- Fuel imports 9.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 3.6% (2025)
- Fuel exports 8.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 4.3% (2025)
- Electric power consumption 7,794 kWh per capita (2025)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 16.5% (2024)
- Combustible renewables and waste 7.0% (2024)
- Mineral rents 0.5% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.3% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 1.4% (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electric power transmission and distribution losses in OECD members?
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses in OECD members was 5.7% 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 OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1960.
- What is the lowest electric power transmission and distribution losses recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 2022.
- How does OECD members rank for electric power transmission and distribution losses?
- OECD members ranks 38th out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is electric power transmission and distribution losses rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members 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.