Electricity generation in North Korea
North Korea: Electricity generation was 27.1 terawatt-hours in 2024. ▲ Rising
Electricity generation in North Korea, 2000–2024
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electricity generation in North Korea is 27.1 terawatt-hours, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation in North Korea peaked at 27.1 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.93 terawatt-hours, in 2015.
That places North Korea 76th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Electricity generation in North Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.3 terawatt-hours | — |
| 2001 | 20.09 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 19.66 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 20.88 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 21.86 terawatt-hours | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 22.77 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 22.31 terawatt-hours | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 21.39 terawatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 23.06 terawatt-hours | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 23.38 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 23.57 terawatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 20.87 terawatt-hours | -11.5% |
| 2012 | 21.36 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 21.97 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 21.48 terawatt-hours | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 18.93 terawatt-hours | -11.9% |
| 2016 | 23.81 terawatt-hours | +25.8% |
| 2017 | 23.43 terawatt-hours | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 24.83 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 23.88 terawatt-hours | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 24.1 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 25.63 terawatt-hours | +6.3% |
| 2022 | 26.55 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 26.72 terawatt-hours | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 27.1 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 27.1 terawatt-hours is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.13 terawatt-hours, 24.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 27.1 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.73 terawatt-hours, 2.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.47 terawatt-hours | 19.3 terawatt-hours | 23.38 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.41 terawatt-hours | 18.93 terawatt-hours | 24.83 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.02 terawatt-hours | 24.1 terawatt-hours | 27.1 terawatt-hours | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More energy & mining data for North Korea
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation in North Korea?
- Electricity generation in North Korea was 27.1 terawatt-hours in 2024, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 27.1 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest electricity generation recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.93 terawatt-hours in 2015.
- How does North Korea rank for electricity generation?
- North Korea ranks 76th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is electricity generation rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total electricity generated in each country or region, measured in terawatt-hours.