Hydropower generation by region in South Africa
South Africa: Hydropower generation by region was 1.79 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.79 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 67.0%
World rank
54th
of 80 countries
All-time high
3.16 terawatt-hours
in 1988
All-time low
0.021 terawatt-hours
in 1969
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Hydropower generation by region in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, hydropower generation by region in South Africa stood at 1.79 terawatt-hours.
That represents a change of up 67.0% on the previous year and up 145.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, hydropower generation by region in South Africa peaked at 3.16 terawatt-hours in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.021 terawatt-hours, in 1969.
That places South Africa 54th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Hydropower generation by region in South Africa, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.037 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0.036 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 0.026 terawatt-hours | -27.8% |
| 1968 | 0.024 terawatt-hours | -7.7% |
| 1969 | 0.021 terawatt-hours | -12.5% |
| 1970 | 0.025 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 1971 | 0.112 terawatt-hours | +348.0% |
| 1972 | 0.834 terawatt-hours | +644.6% |
| 1973 | 0.985 terawatt-hours | +18.1% |
| 1974 | 1.13 terawatt-hours | +14.9% |
| 1975 | 1.12 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 1.88 terawatt-hours | +67.5% |
| 1977 | 1.94 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 1.91 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 1.14 terawatt-hours | -40.0% |
| 1980 | 0.992 terawatt-hours | -13.3% |
| 1981 | 1.65 terawatt-hours | +66.6% |
| 1982 | 1.02 terawatt-hours | -38.5% |
| 1983 | 0.595 terawatt-hours | -41.4% |
| 1984 | 0.56 terawatt-hours | -5.9% |
| 1985 | 0.624 terawatt-hours | +11.4% |
| 1986 | 1.62 terawatt-hours | +160.1% |
| 1987 | 1.62 terawatt-hours | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 3.16 terawatt-hours | +95.5% |
| 1989 | 2.76 terawatt-hours | -12.7% |
| 1990 | 1.01 terawatt-hours | -63.4% |
| 1991 | 1.98 terawatt-hours | +96.0% |
| 1992 | 0.752 terawatt-hours | -62.0% |
| 1993 | 0.146 terawatt-hours | -80.6% |
| 1994 | 1.07 terawatt-hours | +635.6% |
| 1995 | 0.529 terawatt-hours | -50.7% |
| 1996 | 1.32 terawatt-hours | +149.3% |
| 1997 | 2.09 terawatt-hours | +58.6% |
| 1998 | 1.59 terawatt-hours | -23.8% |
| 1999 | 0.726 terawatt-hours | -54.5% |
| 2000 | 1.1 terawatt-hours | +51.7% |
| 2001 | 1.72 terawatt-hours | +56.3% |
| 2002 | 2.08 terawatt-hours | +21.1% |
| 2003 | 0.8274 terawatt-hours | -60.3% |
| 2004 | 0.9499 terawatt-hours | +14.8% |
| 2005 | 1.33 terawatt-hours | +40.2% |
| 2006 | 2.9 terawatt-hours | +117.5% |
| 2007 | 2.87 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 1.26 terawatt-hours | -56.0% |
| 2009 | 1.45 terawatt-hours | +15.2% |
| 2010 | 1.14 terawatt-hours | -21.3% |
| 2011 | 3.06 terawatt-hours | +168.1% |
| 2012 | 1.02 terawatt-hours | -66.8% |
| 2013 | 1.1 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 2014 | 1.8 terawatt-hours | +62.6% |
| 2015 | 0.73 terawatt-hours | -59.3% |
| 2016 | 0.624 terawatt-hours | -14.5% |
| 2017 | 0.776 terawatt-hours | +24.4% |
| 2018 | 1.08 terawatt-hours | +39.3% |
| 2019 | 0.6764 terawatt-hours | -37.4% |
| 2020 | 0.7618 terawatt-hours | +12.6% |
| 2021 | 1.58 terawatt-hours | +107.2% |
| 2022 | 3.14 terawatt-hours | +98.9% |
| 2023 | 1.99 terawatt-hours | -36.5% |
| 2024 | 1.07 terawatt-hours | -46.1% |
| 2025 | 1.79 terawatt-hours | +67.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.79 terawatt-hours is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12.78 terawatt-hours, 14% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Hydropower generation by region in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +644.6% | 0.112 terawatt-hours | 0.834 terawatt-hours |
| 1994 | +635.6% | 0.146 terawatt-hours | 1.07 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0288 terawatt-hours | 0.021 terawatt-hours | 0.037 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.11 terawatt-hours | 0.025 terawatt-hours | 1.94 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.46 terawatt-hours | 0.56 terawatt-hours | 3.16 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.12 terawatt-hours | 0.146 terawatt-hours | 2.09 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.65 terawatt-hours | 0.8274 terawatt-hours | 2.9 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2 terawatt-hours | 0.624 terawatt-hours | 3.06 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.72 terawatt-hours | 0.7618 terawatt-hours | 3.14 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % 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 (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is hydropower generation by region in South Africa?
- Hydropower generation by region in South Africa was 1.79 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest hydropower generation by region recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.16 terawatt-hours in 1988.
- What is the lowest hydropower generation by region recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.021 terawatt-hours in 1969.
- How does South Africa rank for hydropower generation by region?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is hydropower generation by region rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 145.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Hydropower generation by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Figures are based on gross primary hydroelectric generation and do not account for cross-border electricity supply.