Electricity production by source in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Electricity production by source was 7.8% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Electricity production by source in Sri Lanka, 1990–2021
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
In 2021, electricity production by source in Sri Lanka stood at 7.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 56.1% on the previous year and up 571.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity production by source in Sri Lanka peaked at 16.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Sri Lanka 89th out of 208 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity production by source in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | 0.0% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | — |
| 1993 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1997 | 0.0% | — |
| 1998 | 0.0% | — |
| 1999 | 0.0% | — |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +245.2% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +16.6% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +87.9% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -50.4% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | +18.4% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +56.8% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +38.2% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +101.9% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +32.1% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | +39.1% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | +39.2% |
| 2014 | 16.2% | +625.1% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | -80.3% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | +12.3% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 4.7% | +20.6% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | +56.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 7.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.9%, 2.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 7.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 3.3%, 2.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electricity production by source in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +625.1% | 2.2% | 16.2% |
| 2000 | +245.2% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.0% | 0.9% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.4% | 5.0% | 7.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More energy & mining data for Sri Lanka
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 21.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity production by source in Sri Lanka?
- Electricity production by source in Sri Lanka was 7.8% in 2021, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity production by source recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2014.
- What is the lowest electricity production by source recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for electricity production by source?
- Sri Lanka ranks 89th out of 208 countries with data for 2021.
- Is electricity production by source rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 571.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity production by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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